Mason Thorne!

(Mason on Hawiaii week on Fluffy Friday)

MAD MARVELLOUS Mason Thorne - has NOT missed a Fluffy Friday since he starting playing in Casa. And to be perfectly honest, it wouldnt be Fluffy Friday without the Mason Madness. There is NO show like a Mason show.......that i can gaurantee!! Mason recently took time out from his busy schedule of....surfing....and eh.....surfing.....to answer some questions for us.


1. Who are you and where are you from?
Mason Thorne Maui Hawaii

2. How long have you been playing?
I cant anwer that ppl will laugh more

3. Which instruments do you play?
Guitar harmonica uke spoons comb and tissuepaper

4. What was the first tune(s) you learned?
Sidekick

5. Is your family musical?
very

(Mason on Canada week, Fluffy Friday - one of his Favourite themes)

6. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
Norris Shepherd

7. Do you write everything yourself?.
I play Norris Shepherd tunes

8. Who was your first teacher? Other teachers?
Norris Shepherd

9. What are your fondest musical memories?
My first Norris Shepherd

10. Were you influenced by old records/tapes? Which ones?
Yes very old NOrris Sheperd 8 traks

11. Who are your favourite musicians? Groups?
Norris Shepherd

12. Do you perform in RL? If so where?
In a Galaxy far far away

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
I blame Angel

(Mason on Oscars night)

14. Do you get nervous before a performance?
Only when Angel wont leave me alone 30 seconds before the show

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?
See a Norris Shepherd show

16. How often and for how long do you practice?
Does playing live count?

17. Was this your life long dream?
To meet Norris Shepherd

18. If you won an award for your music, who would you thank?
Norris Shepherd

19. Where can people find out more about your music or keep in touch with you?
At a NOrris Shepherd show

(Mason on Playboy week - Fluffy Friday)

Just for fun:
- Person or thing you would most like to be reincarnated as
Norris Shepherd

- If your house was on fire what one thing would you take with you as you ran out? (NOT a person)
My autographed picture of NOrris Shepherd

- If you were on a desert island and could take two things with you what would they be?
Pictures of Angel and Norris
- If you could go back to a particular period in history when would it be?
1845 the year Norris Shepherd was born.

-What is your favorite food and drink?
fish and chips

- What’s your pet hate?
Norris haters

- If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

New Brunswick(Mason on TV themed Fluffy Friday)

Thanks Mason!!!

Norris Shepherd

(Norris - his first gig in Casa)

Norris has been playing in Casa since it opened just over a year ago. I can still remember when i heard him sing first. Myself, Munk and Geoff (the ex Casa owners) were on the hunt for some people to play at the opening. Geoff tp'd myself and Munk to hear Norris and I said "book him, i want him to play" lol and there you go. I havent stopped annoying Norris since :)) Norris shows are always fun and he plays in Casa most Fluffy Fridays :)

Norris took some time out from ploughing the fields to answer some questions, have a read :))

thanks norris :))

(Norris on Scottish Themed Fluffy Friday)

1. Who are you and where are you from?

Norris Shepherd from somewhere in New Brunswick, Canada.
2. How long have you been playing?

Started playing guitar probably in about 1986, then played parties, and a few very minor band type things up until 1998. From 1998 until 2007... guitar rusted in the closet, and i've been playing again for a little over a year since starting to play in SL.

3. Which instruments do you play?

Guitar and voice. Want to get a Bass guitar... and some more harmonicas, and a keyboard.. oh and andand... yeah.. but goota learn to play them too. :)

4. What was the first tune(s) you learned?

hmmmm.... one string picking songs.. probably Wipeout or the James Bond theme or something. Duh duh duh duh dudh Da da ... Duh duh duh duh Duh duh Dada....... Da Da... dadada...

5. Is your family musical?

Do i have to have one? lol. Musicals are verym... um... un-masculine? lol. shessh...
...
....
...
Pink Floyd's the Wall? (although i've never seen it all, my parents caught me trying to watch it and hid the Video tape on me)

OHOHOHOHOHHOO>... I KNOW!

It's when you synch up Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon to the Wizard of Oz. That kicks ass.

OOOHHHH WAIT.. i just re-read the question.. NOT what is my favorite musical but is my FAMILY msuical...

yes. lol. Brother very good guitar player. Sister plays piano. Mom and dad sing in church choir. My other sister played guitar and sang, and my other brother is a bit of a guitar hack.

6. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

Musically, lyrically, as a person, or for their fashion sense?

Musically, lyrically, - Gordon Downey and the Tragically Hip, Rivers Cuomo (Weezer), U2, David Grohl
as People - Bono, Johnathan coulton, Gene Simmons, Bruce Cockburn
for fashion sense,... hmm... dunno...

(Norris on tv - oh ok, TV themed Fluffy Friday)

7. Do you write everything yourself?.

anything (yes) or everything(no)?

8. Who was your first teacher? Other teachers?

musically? Hal Leonard (http://www.amazon.com/Hal-Leonard-Guitar-Method-Complete/dp/0634047019)

9. What are your fondest musical memories?

the one year anniversary gig at Casa Blanco. ;-)

10. Were you influenced by old records/tapes? Which ones?

tapes/records -- Rick Springfield, Abba, Triumph, Trooper, BTO, Trooper, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Rush

11. Who are your favourite musicians? Groups?

lots.. but some are Tragically Hip, Pearl Jam, Weezer, Foo Fighters, Stan Rogers, Matthew Sweet, Rheostatics, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Beatles, the Jayhawks... etc... etc...


12. Do you perform in RL? If so where?

no...RL gigs are a pain in the ass.

13. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?

plow through them.

I try to ignore them, but usually end up laughing, so people usually know i mucked up. :)(Norris at Casa)

14. Do you get nervous before a performance?
no. unless someone famous or intimidatating is in the crowd. like Shaggy or somerhing...

15. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?

get over it. Sing it like ya mean it.. trying to half sing it just doesn't work. Take a big breath and let it out! lol

16. How often and for how long do you practice?
don't practice much.... (d'oh) I often use my shows as practice. lol. So about 6 to 10 hours a week.

17. Was this your life long dream?

well.. sorta Playing SL music is helping me towards it. Always dreamed of being able to write, produce, and record my own music, and since i started playing in SL, i've aquired some gear, and are currently learning the skills to be able to allow me to do so.

A real life long dream would be able to do this and be able to make a living from it....

And to be a dancer in a Britney Spears video... that's another one...

18. If you won an award for your music, who would you thank?

Anyone who supported me. (list would be way long ) If no one ever asked me to play, and encouraged me in subtle and non-suble way, then i wouldn't be playing... it's just that simple.

19. Where can people find out more about your music or keep in touch with you? Please add website/myspace details here.

http://www.myspace.com/norrisshepherd

http://www.thesixtyone.com/#/norrisshepherd/

**coming someday** http://www.NorrisShepherd.com

(Norris standing on the bar at Casa)

Just for fun:
- Person or thing you would most like to be reincarnated as

a rockstar

- If your house was on fire what one thing would you take with you as you ran out? (NOT a person)

my hard drives.

- If you were on a desert island and could take two things with you what would they be?

food and water

- If you could go back to a particular period in history when would it be?

depends... would i be poor or rich at that point in time? :)

- What is your favorite food and drink?

hmmmm.. tough.. BUT i love a good steak well done. Beefeater or Medallion steaks with a nice Shiraz red wine (store bought... not my homemade). Don't have that very much though. And sushi.. mmmm.. Can buy it frozen here. And LOBSTER... YUMM!!!

- What’s your pet hate?

hmm... mean/self-centred/egomaniacal people

- If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

probly here... it's where home is.

(Norris at Casa's First Birthday Party)

Hayduke Schnook :)

Hayduke Schnook has not been playing in Casa long, but he is an awesome talented guy. His shows are packed full of fun, and its not a Hayduke show unless he has told a fishing story, of which he has plenty!!! Ask him about the finger story........O.O
Oh and sometimes he appears as a turtle!

Duke took time out to answer some questions for us.

1. Who are you and where are you from?
My RL name is Alex and I'm from the high mountains of Colorado.

2. How long have you been playing?
I have been playing the mandolin for about 7 years now, though have only been comfortable playing for other for about 3.

3. Which instruments do you play?
My main instrument is the mandolin. I also play some guitar, and a bit of saxophone.

4. What was the first tune(s) you learned?
On the Mandolin it was a bluegrass tune called Old Joe Clark

5. Is your family musical?
I have people in my family who like to sing, but not a lot of instrumental talent in the family.

6. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?
Any musician, famous or not, who plays the music they love and makes a name for themselves doing it. I think if you really put yourself out there, sing, play, let that music flow through you... Then you are experiencing the music the way it is meant to be, and if you stay true to the music that moves you, you can't go wrong.

7. Do you write everything yourself?.
LMAO, Hell no. I don't have my writing confidence yet. I have written about 2 songs, both have been trashed. As of now, I feel I am still learning a lot and building up the experience I need to do justice to a good song.

8. What are your fondest musical memories?
When I began to get old enough to spend nights away from parents, friends would go out and spend hours of fun just messing around with guitars. I always wanted so badly to be able to pick up an instrument and join in, and that eventually lead me to my mandolin and the motivation to learn to play.

9. Were you influenced by old records/tapes? Which ones?
Too many to list, but a lot of old country and folk, along with Classic Rock...

10. Who are your favourite musicians? Groups?
I generally enjoy music played by the performers, with instruments. Studio-generated music styles are not really my thing.

11. Do you perform in RL? If so where?
I have only performed in RL once, at an open mic in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Woohoo! I have come a long way since then...

12. How do you handle mistakes during a performance?
I usually giggle and blame somebody in the audience for distracting me ;D

13. Do you get nervous before a performance?
YES, but sometimes more than others...

14. What advice would you give to beginners who are nervous?
You can play as well as you can in practice, sometimes better. So just relax and play it the way you normally do. Don't rush, don't overthink it. When on stage, that is the time to just let it smoothly flow.

15. How often and for how long do you practice?
I pick up my instrument every day, sometimes I play a few songs. Other times I play for a few hours. Depends on the day, but to build up your muscles and muscle memory you need to put in a few extended sessions on occasion.

16. Was this your life long dream?
SL Musician? Nope. RL Musician? Thought about it, but not really my dream. I have wanted to be proficient at an instrument for a long time, a goal which I feel I am just now attaining.

17. If you won an award for your music, who would you thank?
My Lucky Stars!

18. Where can people find out more about your music or keep in touch with you? Please add website/myspace details here.
For now, you have to come find me. Perhaps I will at some point lay some tunes down for folks to hear when they want, but for now live is best ;)

Just for fun:
- Person or thing you would most like to be reincarnated as
My Dog!

- If your house was on fire what one thing would you take with you as you ran out? (NOT a person)
My Mandolin (duh)

- If you were on a desert island and could take two things with you what would they be?
Survival pack, Boat

- If you could go back to a particular period in history when would it be?
I would be a mountain man exploring America, trapping beaver

- What is your favorite food and drink?
Fish I caught with a fine red wine!

- What’s your pet hate?
My dog hates getting his ears wet. It really disappoints him.

- If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
Still undecided, perhaps Scotland?

Dukes next set in Casa is on Friday 14th November @ 2pmslt - dont miss it!!

Casa's First Birthday Party - 7th November 08

Fluffy Friday this week was also Casa's first birthday party. And what a party it was!! It was so much fun! Fluffy Fridays are always fun but this was FANTASTIC fun! lol Angelwithahintoflife, (known from now on as Angel lol) was fantastic help to me, she made the invitations and the decorated Casa for me, Lizzie gave me decorations too. Outfits where chosen, the stream was tested and the party was ready to begin.



Stella Silvansky kicked things off as she always does on Fridays. Stella is a great friend to Casa and to me, and is an awesome singer!! AND she is always up for a giggle.


Shaggy was next to entertain us. It was Shaggy's auntie Val's Birthday yesterday too, so everybody wished his auntie a happy birthday lol. Shaggy looked just stunning in his Trap Door Hat, and there were giggles when a naked pic of shaggy suddenly appeared behind him......I have NO idea where it came from *looks around innocently. Shaggy hadnt had a set in SL for a long time, it was great to hear him sing again :) I hope its not as long till we hear him next.


Norris Shepherd was next up. Norris originally played Casa on opening night. It was great to have him back at Casa's first birthday. AND i got to pick his set list WOOHOOO, of course I had to get Angel, my partner in crime, to help me. "Ask him to play the 2 discos songs?", she said.......(obviously she couldnt remember the name of the songs)....and i asked him to play the ice cream song and the slipped hip song.....and Norris of course understood which songs myself and Angel were talking about. Norris set was fantastic, and a naked pic of him turned up too...weird that...lol.


Mad Mason Thorne jumped on Casa's stage to continue that madness and mayhem that reigns on Fluffy Fridays. Mason is a fantastic entertainer, he cracks me up laughing. There must be a lot of nakedness goes on in SL because there was a naked picture of Mason there too....Mason finished his set off with "The Fields of Athenry"....FANTASTIC!!!!


Next up - Friendly Fire!! WOOHOOOO this GLAMTASTIC Duo played in Casa on opening night too. And they have played in Casa every Thursday @ 6pmslt since.....I think they have only ever missed just a couple of shows. During the last year they have, burned a christmas tree in Casa, had naked people push Case off the Stage, had plenty of griefers, oh and not to mention the ever popular rolling restarts in the middle of their sets! If its gonna happen, it will happen in Casa for Mack and Case. Their set was awesome, as always, and there was plenty of Beers Glammed!


Now, Hayduke Schnook was suppose to take to the stage next, but he hadnt logged on, we all presumed he went fishing. So Mason was good enough to grab the stream. Then, right before our very eyes, Duke tp'd in! LOL. Mason wouldnt give up the stream until he had sang the Unicorn song! So naturally enough, Angel rezzed a Unicorn and herself and Stella decided to sit on it! Duke eventually wrestled the stream off Mason, well ok not really, Mason willingly gave it back lol. Duke's set was full of fun, as it always is, and of course he got the giggles because he was reading chat! Duke and his Mandolin havent been playing in Casa all that long, but something tells me, they will be there alot more in the future!




Maximillion Kleene was next to grace Casa's stage. It was the first time that Max played in Casa, apart from the couple of songs he streamed with Stella during Dak's rezz day party. Max is a fanastic singer, and good fun. I hope he comes back to Casa again soon :))


Ayden Kruh was the last "offically listed" musician of the day/night. What a fantastic talented guy he is. Ayden played at Casa's Summer Festival in July, and it was great to get him back for Casa's first birthday party. I should point out that the Sim was full for almost the entire event LOL And some people where lisenting remotely too :)) Even Ayden found it difficult to get to Casa for his set!




The party continued as Duke took the stream again. And it was still going when i logged out. It was an amazing party, with fantastic talented musicans and singers. I want to thank each of them, i really appreciate it. I also want to thank everybody who came and spent ALOT of their time at Casa yesterday, you are all awesome! Angel, Dak, Noddy, Duke, Donny, Shaggy, Gazza, Stella, Rasp, Luka, Lo, Sarah, Catt, Norris, Mason, Jon, Sam, Alura, Temp, Tink, Lizzie, Chely, Horizon, Kat, Mandy, Rad, Promise, Dee, Lance, and everybody else.............you all ROCK!


I hope that this time next year we are celebrating Casa's Second birthday. Only time will tell i guess :))