Starting a Revolution - Max Milner & Robbie White

Following his success on The Voice, singer-songwriter Max Milner has moved onto much bigger things, namely his first tour Army of Me, taken from the title of his new track. It says that 'You can start a revolution just by raising your voice' and is the perfect anthem for his ever-growing fans and twitter #friends. This fan base, originally supporting his band Meanwhile in Tinseltown is now set to follow Max wherever he will go next.

Opening night of the tour at 02 Academy Islington was a truly spectacular show of musicianship. Max's best friend and previous band mate Robbie White, supported him with various instruments and harmonies, and showed that this duo are a force to be reckoned with!

A circle of hardcore fans surrounded the stage to gaze at max's heart-breaking smile, and of course sing back every word of his songs. The look on the boys’ faces at this spectacle was truly humbling. It is obvious that it's all about the music for them. Falling between serious musicians and a comedic double-act these boys are natural born entertainers. Max had some slapstick moments across the evening, turning 'aggie' on a cymbal in 'Harvesting Heart' and then forgetting that it was actually his job half way through the song! This of course only endeared him to the crowd more. While Robbie's sheer multi-tasking abilities were also proved in this song, having all of his limbs playing at the same time.

Max and Robbie's song-writing skills truly excelled, completely engaging the room for a entire set, even with a large number of new originals. They taught us a call and response for the chorus of 'Wrecking Ball' that had everyone screaming that its 'Just round one'. Affirming that this is only the beginning for these boys. In addition to revolutionary sprit, there was also a theme in the songs of relationships and young love. Max proudly listed his girlfriend as a muse for many songs including 'Lie a little more' and 'She said it first' and had no qualms about sexily serenading her from the stage. This of course made every other girl in the room melt, as she stood beaming from ear to ear! A catchy track The One Will Wait For You, shows a positive spin on a long distance relationship 'you're the little spoon in our duvet cocoon'. Which is possibly one of my fvourite lyrics of theirs, second to 'As argument is born our relationship is dying' from Sex Sheets which cleverly tells the story of guy discovering his girlfriend is a cheat.

After the show Max and Robbie signed autographs and took photos with fans like true rock stars, being ever loyal to their supporters. They also rejoiced with their proud loves ones and family who all sported Max Milner t-shirts, which really showed how much support these two very talented boys have. I am so happy to have seen one of these early gigs and cannot wait for the next chapter in their battle to dominate the world with their very own music revolution!

To get taster of the Army Of Me Tour watch this fan video http://youtu.be/KPIJ_yynGRk

Max Milner has a EP lined up for 2013 and is eager to know which 5 tracks people most want on it. You can make your suggestions on twitter @maxmilner7 or on facebook -http://www.facebook.com/#!/maxmilnermusic?fref=ts

New tour dates for 2013 If you get a chance to see them live, I tell you now - TAKE IT! http://industrymusicgroup.co.uk/music-news/max-milner-live-2013

Fifty Shades of Opinions

Everyone else has an opinion on the 'Fifty Shades Trilogy’ by E.L. James so I thought it was time for mine.

According to Zoe Williams from theguardian.co.uk 'It's the fastest selling adult novel of all time.' This obviously shows the type of fiction the masses of the 21st Century want to read, albeit mainly women. It’s even a source of relaxation for the Olympians! Alicia Coutts Australian swimmer says in The Herald Sun 'Most of the swimming girls are reading Fifty Shades of Grey. We’re all talking about it.' However the majority of the reviews have been quite negative and dismissive. The books have been universally labelled as 'Mummy Porn' tying in with the creation of 'TwiMoms' from the 'Twilight Saga' of Stephanie Meyer. Which incidentally, the fifty shades books originated from in fan-fiction form.

You can see that the plot of this trilogy does loosely follow that of the saga, minus the vampires and in the place of abstinence, Fifty Shades of course has S&M. Set in Seattle; it follows Anastasia Steel a university student who covers for her room-mate last minute to interview Christian Grey a gorgeous business mogul. Evidently a romance ensues, and it depicts Christian as the unbelievably rich sadist with the dark past and Ana as the virgin student who is clumsy with low self-esteem (remind you of anyone... *cough* Bella)

Escapeintolife.com finds her character lacking 'First of all, Ana manages to graduate college without ever being drunk, ever having sex, and without owning a laptop.' Personally I think there are other ways to criticise the characters as owing to personality and financial means, all of the above could actually be possible. As the recent Channel 4 documentary highlighted, Ana has sex on a very regular basis and never seems to contract cystitis! We can also allow that she is aroused frequently given that Christian is supposed to be an Adonis; however the books suggest that she can orgasm on cue, repeatedly! A feat most women would admit is not altogether realistic!

When it comes to Christian I am less affronted by his bedroom habits and more by his traits as a boyfriend. The perks of his wealth may be that Ana has access to every technical gadget on the market, but that also means that he is always aware of her whereabouts and practically stalks her to ensure her safety. Irrelevant of his looks, I have to hope that most young women of today wouldn’t desire this trait in a boyfriend.

The negative hype circling these books refers not only to the implausible storyline but also the repetitive language used. 'if you drink every time the author uses “wicked grin” and “flushed crimson” you will be blackout-drunk by Chapter 4' escapeintolife.com. I am still a firm champion of the book, as it has made me laugh out loud on several occasions with witty humour and I find I can relate to the character of Ana. However, I must admit that even I am now getting a tad bored with the reoccurrence of themes and sentence structure. I mean, how many times can you read about a body shattering orgasm? 'I shatter once more, pulsing around him' Ana Steele.

However there are some reviewers that have tried so hard to dislike the books that they have moved past exaggeration and hurled straight into the ridiculous! Physiologist Carole Sawo in The Daily Mail has labelled the book as 'glorified sex abuse', She goes on to say that young fans will 'learn of the many faces of sickness only when it's their own blood on the bedroom carpet' Furthermore, she proudly admits 'I haven’t read the book and never will' Why should we even listen to your opinion then? I was outraged at the Daily Mail for even printing it! (I hope she publishes a book one day so I can slate it without reading it.)

I believe that these books, like Twilight are a fantasy. They provide some light relief from the daily grind. Well, for those that aren’t opposed to reading about BDSM, spanking and butt plugs (all consensual of course). I honestly can't see what people are getting so hot and bothered about. It’s not real-life it’s a fantasy and Christian doesn’t force Ana into anything. Throughout the book each character has a choice and now you have one too. You could be like our friend Carole Sawo and read the reviews and decide, or actually read the books and make up your own mind.

Either way always remember the famous quote; (I havent a clue who said it as I have only heard it from my Dad!)

'Opinions are like assholes. Everybody's got one and everyone thinks everyone else's stinks.'

I'm sure E.L James is laughing her way to the bank and doesn’t care either way!

Meanwhile In Tinseltown

That is the name of the exhilarating new band fronted by The Voice UK semi-finalist Max Milner with Robbie White, Carly Meyers, Andy Blowers and Adrian Lee Stokes. They describe themselves as 'an upcoming, fresh and exciting band formed by four friends. Eloquent and witty lyrics mixed with beautifully written music, air tight harmonies and a host of inspirations help create this incredible talent.' Having had the pleasure of seeing them perform live last Sunday at Nambucca, Holloway Road, I can assure you that this band is all that and more.

Presenting a vast list of original songs, along with several personalised cover tracks, this band is modern, modest and unbelievably talented. Their songs include themes of heart-break, love and adultery, ‘as an argument is born our relationship is dying’. Yet also texting and Iphones! ‘if your messages sin lots, put a pin on your inbox’ Sex Sheets. Though not always for the faint-hearted, their lyrics manage to deliver the bitterness of betrayal in a topical and humorous way accessible to all audiences! ‘So I'm'a need to get my CDs back and get my life back on track, my shit goes where I want it now that you're no longer in my flat and that'll teach me, to stick my dick in crazy’ The Cute Song.

Multi-talented is an understatement for Robbie White, as he plays percussion, guitar, piano and also sings backing! Max Milner’s gravely smooth tone is beyond sexy which is complimented beautifully by Carly Meyers harmonising. This musicianship proves that there is not one average track amongst their playlist of beautiful ballads and fast-paced patter songs, which are perfect for summer! ‘I'm not saying I can't believe this, we just needed someone to dream with. Wish you could see this, jamming on the rooftops!’ Jamming on the rooftops.

With over 3000 twitter followers, including dozens of fan accounts this currently unsigned band have accumulated a distinct group of supporters labelling themselves #townies. Max Milner has his own loyal group of ever-loving #friends and all members of the band are in turn forever devoted and lovely to every fan among them. Signing autographs and posing for pictures with all who asked, they made alot of girls very happy on Sunday night.

A confirmed #friend and #townie for life, I need no convincing that Meanwhile in Tinseltown are ready to fly high into the music scene. With that I am still safe and happy in the knowledge that this humble band, when very famous and successful, will still be ever lovely and dedicated to all their fans and followers.

To see if you agree, check them out here - http://www.youtube.com/user/MITinseltown

Or follow them on twitter @M_I_Tinseltown

You can even see Max Milner and Meanwhile In Tinseltown live at Hampton Court Palace Festival on 18th June - http://www.hamptoncourtpalacefestival.com.

#friendsforever

Star-struck

Star-struck is defined as 'captivated by famous people or by fame itself.'

In the last week I have seen two tv stars during my daily life. One from a moderately famous TV show just on the tube and the other a current reality TV star walking down my high street and it got me thinking about the idea of feeling 'star-struck'.

Now living in London, you can expect to see famous people from time to time and obviously your level of 'captivation' would depend or whether you happen to be a fan of the celebrity in the first place. Then again, just the idea of meeting somebody famous can be thrilling.

If we call ourselves a 'fan' of a certain celebrities work, talents or looks, we can often become obsessed to learn everything possible about them. We feel like we already know these people, even though we have never met them. Of course we dont really know 'them', but we feel as if we do. The definiton of star-struck remains therefore, whether we meet them or not. If we are captivated by them already, why is it a big deal to meet them in person?

It is a big deal, because we expect only to see celebrities on our tv screens, or in a glamorous environment created purely for our voyueristic pleasure. All with the 'You can look but you can't touch' clause in small writing. Therefore, by bumping into somebody famous in our daily lives, there is something ellict and illegal about the situation that makes us feel extra privledged and special. (Never mind the simple fact that famous people are still humans beings, they just lead different lives to the rest of us!)

I think we can become star-struck in these situations because we are experiencing something we wouldnt normally get to. Most of us don't get to experience fame, so we desire to. Most of us don't get to meet famous people, so if we happen to get a chance to do so, we grab it with both hands. This is because it makes us feel priviledged and special, just like the celebrities we admire so much.

The Dream

a)To be a full time professional actress, performer
and singer in theatre, TV & film etc.
b)To go to an accredited drama school.
c)To have a lead role in a musical in the West End.

So now you are all up to speed with my dreams.
All humans have dreams. As children we are all told to believe in ourselves, and are nurtured as we go through a journey of ideas of what we would most like to be when we grow up. However, once we are 'grown up' there comes a time where we have to re-evaluate and wonder if our aspirations are at all achievable.

In life there are the forever dreamers, who will do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams. These are the ones who never stop dreaming. Then, there are the people who weigh up the pros and cons and eventually decide that they have come to the end of their aspirational road for one reason or another.

I find that I am often both of these people. In order to fulfil my dream, I have to be super confident that I will achieve it. I have to make a lifestyle choice. A choice to be forever uncertain, unknown and temporary. To allow my life to be determined by luck, being in the right place at the right time and the subjectivity of others. To fear that if i cannot achieve my dream, there is not another one that I would wish for. To fear that I may attempt it for too long and then be stuck for a career late in life. To fear that it may not be possible.

The three dreams listed at the top of the page are in no particular order. All are of great difficulty to obtain and I want them all. I have been attempting a) for just over a year now since leaving university and even though I have tried to remove the stigma that b) is absolutely necessary to achieve my dream, it still remains on the list. Like most people I find failure very difficult, (not so good if you are an actress.)I have tried to get into Drama School on three separate occasions and failed. Although there are many different routes to success as an actor, I can finally say that whether it is necessary or not, I want it. I want it, I need it and I believe that I deserve it.

That has taken me a while to realise again. I tried to tell myself that I didn't want it anymore, probably because it was difficult to achieve. Guess we cannot run from our dreams. Now that is out in the open, I guess I have to become a forever dreamer. I have to work extremely hard to achieve my dreams, and believe me there are many more of a similar nature to be added to the list!

For now real life is dreaming. We have to believe that there can be no reality where our dreams are not possible.

Easier to do it wrong.

So lately I have noticed how we often knowingly do the wrong thing. Mainly because it is what we prefer. The wrong thing can often be the most instantly gratifying option. Sometimes by doing the wrong thing we are breaking a rule and so feel reckless and this can be fun, or maybe it is simply because doing the right thing is so damn hard most of the time.

From the beginning we are always taught to do the right thing. Our education at school is a combination of many years and exams where we must get the right answer in order to gain the right result. However, as we get older we see that in life there can be grey areas. What if there are two right answers? What if what we think is right, is actually wrong?

So many questions. Which is why we ask others for guidance when we are in a quandary. Still knowing all the while that we are going to do the wrong thing anyway! Is it the thrill of being bad? Or maybe its because we feel too weak to make the right choice?

For me, I am always out of luck. As a very indecisive person making any decision is difficult. So when my head or heart eventually leans toward any side, I have to go with it or I'll remain in limbo forever.

I guess whether the right or wrong thing is easier, either path will provide a journey for further options for bad decisions, wrong turns and mistakes. Without these we wouldn't learn and grow as people. We just have to remember that while doing the wrong thing may be easy and fun, it can also sometimes hurt people, including ourselves.

Am I lazy or just scared?

Can laziness sometimes be confused with fear? This theory was suggested to me a few weeks ago and I still am not sure I agree with it. The idea is that often while our behaviour may look like sheer laziness, our lack of enthusiasm could simply be a fear of the task at hand. Obviously I am not suggesting that some of us may be completely terrorised by the idea of doing the washing up, or that all teenagers who avoid tidying their room actually suffer from a crippling fright of cleanliness. No. This notion runs a little deeper.

I have been out of education in the 'real world' for just over a year now, keeping up various part-time jobs while in search of acting work. After a stint in a musical and a fringe play, I managed to find an agent and felt like I was finally getting somewhere. However,for a mainly out-of-work actor, supposedly riddled with determination, I have become so lazy!

I am plodding along this motorway of reality while teaching children performing arts, stopping off at the services infrequently for a dose of 'The Dream' and then back I go to the slow lane, this time laden with lactose-intolerance issues. I reach the next exit not as a professional performer sporting excited jazz hands, but as a 23 year old actress who goes to bed with a microwavable warmie in the shape of a Babushka doll!

I have become a sucker for instant gratification. It is so much easier to gain happiness in amongst the reality, by going to the cinema with your mates, snuggling up to your gorgeous boyfriend, watching your favourite band play. 'The Dream' however requires a lot more time and effort. So the answer (apparently) is not laziness but fear? Granted, by nature I am not a lazy person, however recently I seem to have got much better at sleeping in, spending the whole day on my laptop surfing rubbish, and coming up with reasons not to do things.

For the last 6 months I have told myself every week to:

1. Go to some dance classes -
I tried everything local, including Zumba which while it is great exercise, a background knowledge in the subject isn't required when auditioning in the West End. I looked at most options that would avoid travel and cost, all the while knowing that Pineapple was where I needed to be. Laziness or fear?

2. Practice singing daily (Yes even if its loud!) -
I would try for about 10 minutes in the shower, not warming up properly, and then trail off. In recent singing lessons the task has been 'belting' aka: shouting on a tune, to the neighbours this would be translated as - a cat being strangled slowly. Funny how I don't wish that to be what springs to mind when I sing. Laziness or fear?

I think it could be either. The reason I am more torn towards laziness is because in the grand scheme of things neither of these two tasks are that difficult to carry out. What I really need is a verbal kick up the backside. Which funnily enough I get quite often from the people most important to me...

Actually what I really need is to perform again. When I say perform I mean really perform. Get stuck into a real role or script or perform some great musical theatre songs in a concert or show. Indulge in what I do best.
How do I do that? Stop being lazy and practice!

That means, conquer your fear of not really being a dancer and join Pineapple and focus on the joy of belting that big note in your favourite song and forget about your neighbours, who are way to busy to care what you sound like anyway.
Hmm, maybe it was fear afterall.