1) Please state your name and what you do!
Andrew Russell Thomas. I am an artist and musician depending on who you ask.
2) You have been involved in the Bushwick music scene for quite a few years now, could you please discuss both the positive and negative changes that you have witnessed?
The positive changes are that there are more places to go see (in this hypothetical example) great shows. The negative would be that a lot of the old ones are gone.. Thinking about it now, it seems like just as active of a community as it was when I entered it – thanks largely to the people who have always put an huge effort into having shows.
3) What you you say to a new Bushwick resident who is trying to get his/her music heard within the community? Advise, warnings…?
If you want to play shows, be good enough to have a demo (available online) that will make a person want to book you. Ideally go out and talk to people in person.. and then see above because people basically hear new music on the internet now..
4) How do you see the Bushwick music scene changing over the next few years?
The Scene will exist exactly as it has since forever, but slowly move east..
5) If you could influence the direction that the Bushwick music scene goes, direct it in a sense, what would you do? What direction would you like to see it going in?
Aesthetic direction, I might say more low-key “official” venues.. As far as a stylistic direction, I wish bebop and would come back. And geographic direction, north into Maspeth.
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