Record Stores... They Still Exist???

If you ask when was the last time I bought a physical CD in a record store, I'll have to concentrate for a few minutes and try to remember if it was even this year....

Even today, as I popped into the bookstore to buy a new notebook (I always carry one in my bag wherever I go - for both musical and journalistic purposes, you just never know!) I ended up next to the music department and remembered that one of my co-writer and producer Billy Stein's record had hit the stores nationwide today. Linda Eder's much anticipated "americana" release, "The Other Side of Me".

Ever since I first got to Manhattan/EMI and did my showcase this spring, they've all been talking about the album that was already done but because of internal political reasons (nothing to do with the actual product, sadly - this is the reality of the music industry today: it's not about the music) the label couldn't commit to a definite release date and deliver. Same old story....

Anyway, many months later, the album is now in stores through Verve. And it was worthwhile.

I was first introduced to Linda's work when I came to the US in 2000 to do the Alan and Marilyn Bergman tribute show. Back then she was quite well known if you liked that kind of music - Broadway standards.

But today, I heard the record that she should've considered making even earlier. (Actually, I did hear bits of it at Billy's studio a few months ago - so I was already familiar with the material more or less, but hush hush :-)

As I was unwrapping the CD, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic about the time when I, as a little girl, seized every opportunity to drive miles out of central Moscow with Dad to our favorite "Purple Legion" where they sold imported records from abroad...quite a luxury back then! A CD was 15.00 USD, but it was worth every penny - what a joy!

Nowadays, I barely even bother to walk into one of those mega record stores... Why? Because quite frankly, very few amazing albums are being made and released on regular basis these days - and it's no big deal if I just get a song or two off iTunes and ignore the artwork and credits included in the physical copy of the record....

It's just rarely worth the hassle and utter excitement like before.... Will it ever be the same again? Doubt it. But something else will surely come along - no doubt. That's the way it is...and always has been - a full circle!

United Nations: Off Duty

Imagine the center of diplomacy and global debates among world leaders from every corner of the globe, the conference rooms and the General Assembly Hall all deserted, elevators and escalator throughout the United Nations Headquarters completely off duty and out service - and it's Tuesday afternoon!

Today is Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the Jewish New Year. It appears that everyone in the building was aware that it is also an official UN holiday... Except for yours truly, who came to work this morning, prepared to tackle global issues and the highlights of the General Assembly's 63rd session, when at the very entrance of UN radio, I realized that although the building's not shut for staff, it is pretty much deserted... I should have known, right?

Instead, I foolishly stayed up last night drafting my radio script for today's show... and now I am writing my blog next door to Conference Room 1 in the very heart of the basement floor below the main lobby. It's never been so quiet here - not ever since I first walked inside the chaotic UN lobby to the my "introductory" meeting in the summer of 2006.

I have just emailed my radio producer at PRN to let him know about the unsuccessful attempt to record my weekly show - I tried in all honesty... On top of that, I was actually looking forward to it too... But needless to say, an extra hour of sleep would've been equally blissful after a night of horrors one after another!

Oops, somebody just walked by the computer lab... I wonder if he's off duty too - clearly, as he's totally under-dressed for a regular day at the UN: no suit, no tie, just a checkered shirt and dark blue jeans... hurrah, what a day for the officials!

And the newsstands are all empty, the cafeteria is closed, my favorite radio engineer is off, too. If any of my friends were here from my former UN madness days, we'd have had a blast taking pictures "behind the scenes"... today is the day for the freedom of press, that's for sure!

Remember "The Interpreter" with Nicole Kidman? That scene where she overhears the conversation (or a plot, rather) at the General Assembly on a late night on the way out of the building...? Spooky!

Anyone fancy a private tour through the UN chambers? Just kidding, of course, but really, it's worth a visit if you haven't been to the building yet. Fascinating - and looks nothing like what you see on television.

My first visit to the General Assembly - the big hall with green marble and a gold-plated UN logo on it - was breath-taking, I have to admit... had never felt so... important. No, really. There's a sense of "being a part of something very important and vital on a large scale", honestly. But that wears off with time, it does. Except during the GA week when you hear every world leader of every country - big and small - taking the floor to address the assembly, one by one. Staggering.

At times I wonder if the UN would be a more effective and less controversial place if it were only active during the General Assembly...? If it isn't so already. For as much as I love and admire the organization for what it stands for (but not always for its actions when it comes down to it) I often wonder if it's effective nowadays......

Getting back to the main topic, I just heard back from my producer (of United Nations Uncovered, my radio show) and being his usual sweet self (no many of those around, eh?) he told me not to worry about it... But I do! Why? Because I always worry, especially if I'm told not to! But seriously, only now I realized that a week off air is boring - radio can be addictive and now I miss it!

No other choice but to wait till next week, so for the time being - Happy Rosh Hashanah to those of you celebrating the holiday, and a great week to everyone!

"This was United Nations Uncovered for Progressive Radio Network. I'm Tinatin Japaridze; please tune in next Tuesday for more news and updates from the UN..." :-)

Do you remember the time...

... when MTV (clarification for the some who have come to believe that it has always been the home of generic reality TV) was the official Music Television channel? Can you still recall MTV Unplugged? No, not "Nip Tuck" but MTV Unplugged - acoustic showcases of some of the biggest pop/rock artists and bands producer in TV Special format. The ultra-famous TRL (Total Request Live) was before YouTube... And does anyone remember MTV UK's Bitesize - random videos, clips and music news? Yup, that was all before The Soup!

If video killed radio, then myspace and youtube have certainly replaced MTV, VH1 and all of its numerous clones internationally... Good news or bad news?

While in the 80's and the 90's appearing on MTV was a major achievement for a new band, nowadays it's practically uncool to even ask an artist if he/she is on MTV - a) because it no longer exists (the MTV we've got on Time Warner today is not the same, let's face it!) and therefore, if you're "hip" and up-to-date about what's going on in the world, you should be aware of that, and b) very few good indies could ever afford the luxury of buying airtime or even ending up on the channel for free without the right connections...

Today it's all about myspace, iTunes and youtube...... But what about tomorrow? Isn't this just a bridge that will get us from A to B (the latter still remaining a mystery to everyone in the music industry on the verge of collapse unless they can come up with the Plan B either now or never) ?

Where are we heading.... Back to square one? Because let's not forget - music will always be in demand whether it's in this current format or another, an indie or a major label (not so likely anymore), live or on record... It will always have a listener, always find a buyer. That's the only consolation.

Pop Stars & Politicians - EQUAL?

When pop icons and rock icons were completely demystified in recent decades due to the constant and unconcealed exposure through the uncensored lens of today's all-access media, the world has become increasingly interested in decoding the political figures dominating the headlines.

Apart from being regarded as mere politicians and leaders of the countries they run, they have crossed over into the mainstream pop culture and integrated the showbiz market as a result, hoping to appeal to the masses and not just those interested in modern-day politics.

John McCain's controversial comment referring to Barack Obama as the male version of Paris Hilton; President Sarkozy's much-talked-about marital union with former model and recently "celebrated" Carla Bruni; Russian President Vladimir Putin's alleged romance with Alina Kabaeva, Olympic gymnast half his age, etc.

The latter dismissed the above rumor as untrue, stating that he has "always reacted negatively to those who with their snotty noses and erotic fantasies prowl into others' lives... There's a lot of talk in the press about beautiful young women. I don't think it will surprise you if I said that I like them all."

Needless to say, our society as a whole has never been short of overly curious minds and nosey characters, not only when it concerned the saucy show business but also the world leaders and their private lives. But when google is bombarded with far more search queries about Georgian leader Saakashvili's video "chewing on the tie" during a BBC interview break than the actual situation in the war-torn country, one wonders if this is at all normal?

Or perhaps it is, and I'm just being too picky and overly sensitive about our collective needs and the little pleasures derived from the juicy details of other people's - particularly the newsworthy (and not so much) public figures' - personal lives.

Pop Music: Younger & More Graphic Than Ever

It seems it was only yesterday when a "teenage sensation" in a school uniform, dark pinkish lipstick and ponytails stormed the charts via high school corridors around the world in 1998/1999. Britney became an instant imaginary B.F.F. for most of the girls of her generation.

Even yours truly, heavily addicted to nothing but adult contemporary, Jazz and Classical was eventually forced subconsciously to learn "Baby One More Time" by heart driving to school and back with other classmates more attuned with the current pop music transformation from Spice Girls to a much younger and cuter Britney Spears. Far from becoming a teen-pop fan, I was still reeling from Celine Dion's smash album "Let's Talk About Love" which featured the mega "My Heart Will Go On". So, yes, not exactly your average "hit me baby" fan, but humming along was inevitable....

Just then, the Lolita boom was back in a full 40-year circle... And it's been here more or less on and off ever since.

After a brief break between Britney clones, such as Mandy Moore, a vocally much better equipped Christina Aguilera (albeit a teen pop starlet at the time, nonetheless) and a few more whose names I honestly can't remember anymore (that's a sign in itself!) - in 2008 we're facing a much less subtle version of "Lolita pop" not only among the Hanna Montana fans and the controversial (although not that big of a deal, for goodness sake!) fashion shot of Miley Cyrus, to name but a few.

Ultimately, the combination of the taboo view of young girls in flashy grown-up clothes and millions of teenagers' admiration of such teen-pop icons, along with the utter realization of the 80's fear that "video killed the radio" (and now even MTV is no longer about music, it's all about the "Nip Tucks!" and "The Soup" equivalents) leaves music way behind - what's it all about then, Alfie? Surely not the music. Neither a well produced video, for that's long gone as well...

So, what's next? Not only in pop music but on a larger scale - for young upcoming generations.... childhood vs. adulthood - do we skip adolescence altogether?

Canadian Rock Star - Brandon Adams...?

It was the night of the Academy Awards, March 23rd, 2008.

Two teenage girls - Tina and Nino had stayed up all night after school to watch the long-awaited "Titanic" year at the Oscars live from LA on Russian TV way past midnight (Moscow time.)

After Celine Dion's special performance of the hit movie song that had just become huge in Russia and won our hearts immediately, Nino and I were ready to retire to bed... It was, after all 4 a.m. and we were barely 14 years old (only just!)

As we both went to the bedroom and got inside our cozy beds on a chilly Moscow night (yes, even March is a freezing cold month back home!) my mom rushed into the room and turned the lights on right away, "Girls, girls, Bryan Adams is in a movie!"

Bryan Adams? You see, I was a humongous fan of his from an early age; already realizing that I wouldn't let her blink an eye until I had watched the film right then and there, Nino gave up on the very notion of finally going to sleep and tuned in to see what the big fuss about the Bryan Adams movie was all about....

The first few minutes were all about a blond guy with a very similar mid-90's Bryan Adams-esque hairstyle, except he was wearing a mask on his face the whole time. All we really got to see during the first half of the movie were the blond streaks and white sneakers + blue jeans on a faceless, barely alive corpse that was being dragged by some psycho from one room to another...

Hello, it was a horror movie!

"Are you sure this is Bryan Adams?" we kept questioning my mom, trying to double-check if it really was worth watching this nonsense.

"The plot might develop as it goes on, Nino" I reassured my sleepy girlfriend. "No way Bryan Adams would've made a bad movie!" As if I knew his professional preferences and cinematic demands intimately!

An hour + into the horror movie - still no sign of Bryan or anyone else with a visible face, for that matter - they were all wearing masks, except for one girl, and she clearly was not BA.

"I'll give it another 15 minutes and then I'm off to sleep," Nino threatened me. Mom agreed.

"Awww how can you do that, it's Bryan Adams' first movie, for God's sake!"

And so the dragging-by-the-feet from one room on to another and up & down the stairs carried on for another endless hour... The sun was beginning to shine through the clouds and we realized we'd definitely lost our much needed sleep for the night. But it was going to be so worth it by the end of the work of art, I kept telling Mom and my best friend.

1h58m, 1h59m, 2h00m...

That's it, the hype around the worst film of the year (no Academy Award for this horror masterpiece, that's for sure!) was beginning come to a rather "disappointing" ending... a twist would've helped... maybe it was on the way?

"Oh wait, maybe he's singing the title song in the end of the movie? Let's wait for the big soundtrack moment and also check the credits!" Mom seemed determined. "I swear, it said Bryan Adams in the beginning of the film!!!"

The song... The big moment.... I was going to hear a new song of my favorite male singer - clearly, along with the Robin Hood hit and Don Juan de Marco, I had never come across this soundtrack before, at least not among his other records. Could it be a premiere? I was too tired to even think straight at that point... Nino was losing the grip, too.

YES... The film was over and it FINALLY was time for the HUGE ballad along with the much-anticipated credits.

JKAHFIUASFHEONFAKUORESZFLISEOL;MSDLVUOPGJLRSGTAOPEJQI2-0O2!!!!UW8292///'IU2905-6- this is the approximate notation of the song in "musical" terms. The solo chanteuse sounded more like a bad version of Marilyn Manson than anything else.

"THIS IS NOT BRYAN ADAMS!!" Nino screamed, "Even I know THAT much... Ohhhh Tina, I will kill you!!!" We both laughed, although she really was angry and disappointed about losing a few precious hours of sleep.

The final drop was the long list of credits... Mom came back into the room, "So you saw Bryan in the end? Was it him behind the black mask?"

"Mooooooom..... The credits say 'BRANDON ADAMS' not 'BRYAN'...!!!!!!!!!!!!" World War III broke out... inevitably.

Instead of feeling bad for us, she roooooared laughing and we simply had to give in - it really WAS hilarious, after all.

Needless to say, we were up within 15 minutes to get for school on time and on with a new day but couldn't stop laughing about the Brandon Adams incident that kept us giggling during the rest of the week...

Yes, Nino forgave me in the end. She is still one of my closest friends in the world.

But does she still like Bryan Adams? I wonder........

Taking An Ex-Bottle Factory By Storm!

For those of you wondering whether I've gone completely political and left the music to the clubbers and the promoters to worry about, you're wrong!

I was so fortunate to spend fabulous couple of days in Philadelphia earlier last week - and even managed to tick one of the many to-do-list boxes of my life in the long run...

Years ago, when I first started taking my initial steps in music upon moving to the UK, I came across a song in a pile of my producer's CDs (he probably gets hundreds of them per week from all over the world, I don't know how he manages to hear each and every one of them - and he does!!) called "To Comfort You", which I immediately fell in love with and so wanted to record when I first got into the studio back in London!

As it usually goes, due to a number of nuances that I won't be getting into just yet (if ever), it never came to pass; however, an mp3 of the song ended up on my iPod from the very day I purchased the player at Heathrow Airport.

That was then, this is now - after all these years, I found myself recording this same song at the home studio of the writer who had sent the song to my producer for a different artist (a very very big one, actually - I'm amazed she didn't do it!) back in the day and was now doing my vocals in the heart of Pennsylvania... Not an easy one to describe but yes, it was really something for me... An achievement of sorts, in a way. Do you even know what I mean? FYI I am completely obsessed with "ticking the boxes" you see, particularly when it comes to music.

I have to say, through all the fun in and outside of the studio during those few days, it was so wonderful to be able to switch off from the rest of the world and all of the madness going on every minute of the day whether it's hurricanes, politics, economy, or whatever else is on our minds 24/7 - inevitably so. I did a little bit of work, true, and spent ages on the phone to Georgia trying to arrange a certain "personal delivery" to a hotel for a special friend, but other than that - it was like running away and diving back into those old days of carefree music and musicianship.

Good singers, great singers & GREAT VOCALISTS

Artists seldom talk about fellow colleagues. This is especially true about singers raving about other singers, particularly if they haven't yet sold 20 million records, but are, however, well on their way to hitting the big time.

I had the opportunity to hear one such artist tonight at the Canal Room, and God is my witness, she is not in urgent need of extra publicity and/or a name tick in a blog. Yet, her performance tonight was of breathtaking quality, depth and great fun - all at the same time.

In my book, there are good singers, great singers, and then there are those very few "great vocalists" - Ms. Lucy Woodward, ladies and gentlemen, is one of them - and that's quite rare nowadays, let's face it!

If you haven't already heard her music and experienced the magic of seeing her live, hand on heart - I promise you have missed something so worth a shot. I am blown away... She made me want to get on that stage right then and there and sing my heart out. Now that only happens when I see someone truly amazing at what they do.

What a night, such a blast....!

Thank you, Ms. Lucy Woodward - you are the real deal, in all honesty.

Georgia on the General Assembly's Mind

The much anticipated 63rd session of the General Assembly kicked off yesterday, on September 16th at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

World leaders gathered in the Turtle Bay headquarters on the East River facing a picturesque view of the island, as they took the stand at the helm of the General Assembly Hall one by one on behalf of their nations and the people of every individual country represented at the GA.

The morning session was highlighted by the speech of the US President, George W. Bush who has often criticized the UN for being costly and indecisive in the face of serious world problems, used his final assembly speech as President of the United States to emphasize multinational organizations are "needed more than ever" to combat terrorists and extremists who are threatening world order.

During the p.m. session of the GA, among various statement made by presidents, foreign ministers, etc. of the countries present at the assembly, two particular appearances were at the center of attention and collective anticipation: the speeches of the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the President of the Republic of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili.

In the light of the recent events and the five-day war that took place in Georgia and its breakaway region of South Ossetia upon the invasion of Georgia proper by the Russian troops, the small democratic republic in Caucasus that had attracted little interest throughout the foreign media in the past, has now become one of the most talked-about countries in today's headlines around the world.

"Countless people throughout the world were deeply moved and profoundly troubled by the invasion of Georgia—which began, with tragic irony, on the eve of that great celebration of peace, the Olympic Games," said President Saakashvili. "If our first revolution was about meeting a threat from within by reinventing a failed state riddled by corruption... Our second revolution must be even more focused, as now we face an even greater challenge, one that comes from the outside."

During his statement to the assembly, the Georgian President suggested to those present that the recent invasion of his country may have been a misguided attempt to resort to the 19th century logic of brute force. This, he noted, is unacceptable in our day and age: "In the 21st century, we have better ways to protect the rights of ethnic minorities than with T-72 tanks and Su fighter jets."

As I listened to the statement made by my president, the leader of the my country, I couldn't help but feel proud of the fact that through all the pain, suffering and humiliation we went through during the past month, our tiny little republic has managed to reemerge as a much more positive and hopeful nation as a result.

Yes, we have a long way to go, of course. But even the fact that the world leaders around the globe and ordinary people (who prior to the escalation were somewhat ignorant of the fact that Georgia is not just the US state but also a country in Eurasia) are equally aware of the importance of keeping peace in every part of the world including the small country that so many have come to acknowledge and support in the recent weeks - even that in itself is an achievement.

However, having said that, we clearly cannot give up just yet, for we do have miles and miles to go before we get to the stage where we can claim full democracy, peace and stability for ourselves and the generations to come. But it's a start - a start we should be proud of.

Let's not forget: a few months ago, if I, as a Georgian, walked into a public place in New York and was asked by a stranger where I was from, they'd be puzzled to hear that Georgia is, indeed, a sovereign country - a beautiful one, in fact - and not just a state in the USA!

Tinatin on Nu Music Traxx!

Yet another music compilation in Canada featuring Tinatin's "Thinking of Someone Else" (Dr. Octavo Charmix) - ERG Nu Music Traxx October 2008.

Nu Music Traxx of October '08 includes the best New Pop, Rock, Dance, Urban and Country releases. DJs across the country are switching to Nu Music Traxx, the most versatile programming format for mobile and mixed format club DJs.

Other highlights of the compilation this month are the following: Christina Aguilera, "Keeps Getting Better", Rihanna "Disturbia", Coldplay's "Lost", and many more.........!

ERG Full Track Listing....

Latest from UN on Georgia-Russia conflict

Politics
Latest from UN on Georgia-Russia conflict


Sitting in Conference Room 1 in the General Assembly section of the UN building, waiting for Russian Ambassador Churkin's special conference to begin.

The Ambassador to the UN has invited the press corp to attend the session on
"Tragedy in South Ossetia, August 2008".

Following my UN radio show on Tuesday morning, I made my way to the conference room after a brief lunch with an old friend and former UN colleague. Incredible how short the internships are for the young people here. Wouldn't it be smart to recruit more enthusiastic youngsters and
enhance the youthful outlook of the organization as a whole?

As I'm typing this article on my blackberry, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation at the United Nations takes center stage... I have no other choice but start taking notes on a piece of recycled paper of what used to be a GA resolution - one of many...!

The introductory speech of Ambassador Churkin was not in any way different from the previous statements by the Russian government and the Russian media, with particular emphasis on "Georgia's aggression against South Ossetians".

Fluent in English, Vitaly Churkin chose to speak Russian instead during his remarks, urging those "not yet fluent in the great language" to use the headsets with sync-translation into English.

The introduction was swiftly followed by the promised documentary compiled by the Russian Mission to the UN for a special screening to mark the 40 days since the tragedy.

Ambassador warned those present that the footage was in parts so graphic, it needed severe editing beforehand. That certainly goes to both the Georgian and Russian media images and documentary shots.

Following a minute of silence in the memory of those who perished, mention Ossetians, Georgians and Russians, V. Churkin joined the auditorium to watch the documentary in 3 parts with the music of Adagio playing in the background.

As for the images - nothing new and particularly revealing that we haven't yet witnessed on TV and the press covering the events in Georgia and the Ossetian breakaway region during the past few weeks.

Two separate documentaries previously broadcasted on Russia Today satellite channel were replayed back to back, while those of us in the room either made notes hastily (very few, though) or just simply couldn't take our eyes of the footage. A special segment of Ossetian-born pro Russian conductor Valery Gergiev's performance in Tskhinvali immediately following the week-long war was also shown amidst other footage filmed in Ossetia.

One particular segment caught my eye immediately - its undiplomatic cruelty and animosity was clearly somewhat out of place, especially for a venue such as the UN headquarters and Conference Room 1 in the basement of the General Assembly. A dead Georgian soldier lying on the ground completely unattended while two middle aged women standing several feet away from the scene watched the corpse deteriorate on the spot and spat on it from a short
distance.

Truly staggering that a big TV company would even air this piece. Whether you're a Georgian, a Russian or a representative of any other ethnicity, people are people and this was one more proof that we haven't yet integrated into the 21st century if we are still behaving like cavemen. These were civilians, you see, not even the politicians.

45 minutes after the presentation had begun with Mr. Churkin's speech, the lights went out and the conference came to an end somewhat unexpectedly. No usual Q&A following most UN conferences and briefings of all sorts, nothing at all. Perhaps it was for the better, as the footage we had just witnessed could have stirred all kinds of negative emotions coming from varying perspectives, and as a result, provoked unpleasant interactions for some of the attendees. Although, most of those present were Russian delegates and press representatives. I have a feeling I must have been the only Georgian in the room. Not easy, not easy at all.

And that raises one very last observation: a few months ago before the conflict had erupted, there really was no difference whether you were a Georgian correspondent, a Russian one or a Pakistani journalist - we were all a part of the same press corp covering the same organization with equal rights and mutual sympathy for each other.

Today, for the first time after over 2 years spent at the UN, I realized that the world is once again on the verge of going backwards - what happened to the much anticipated democracy and globalization?

Sadly, I'm wondering if it's all a dream and not our very own reality. Couldn't get this thought out of my mind as I walked out of the UN building and onto 1st Ave, strolling down the street on my way to a music-oriented meeting - at last!!

Perhaps the following generations will find themselves co-existing in a multi-colored, international society? Probably not for a long time...unless we realize the urgency of overcoming our nationalistic egos and personal as well as political power-struggles.

Maybe only then we will see what's beyond the war...

Peace.

Tinatin Dzhaparidze, New York
2008.09.22 17:37

Geotimes Article by Tinatin

Thinking of..."Thinking of Someone Else"...

Following a couple of weeks of anticipation and excitement about the new upcoming UK remix of "Thinking of Someone Else", here it is!

Along with Dr. Octavo's Charmix currently being played across the UK clubs, this additional version by the renowned Riffs & Rays is about to hit the clubs and selected radio stations in the United Kingdom in coming weeks...or days!

So please have a listen to both and do us a huge favor by picking your favorite version by voting below or on www.myspace.com/tinatinmusic !

Thanks so much to you all and stay tuned for more news......

Oh, and by the way, Dr. Octavo's remix is currently no. 1 on Ourstage... except that shouldn't affect your choice one way or another - tell us what you REALLY think! :-)

United We Stand - Or Do We?

Sitting in Conference Room 1 in the General Assembly section of the UN building, waiting for Russian Ambassador Churkin's special conference to begin.

The Ambassador to the UN has invited the press corp to attend the session on "Tragedy in South Ossetia, August 2008".

Following my UN radio show on Tuesday morning, I made my way to the conference room after a brief lunch with an old friend and former UN colleague. Incredible how short the internships are for the young people here. Wouldn't it be smart to recruit more enthusiastic youngsters and enhance the youthful outlook of the organization as a whole?

As I'm typing this blog article on my blackberry, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation at the United Nations takes center stage... I have no other choice but start taking notes on a piece of recycled paper of what used to be a GA resolution - one of many...!

The introductory speech of Ambassador Churkin was not in any way different from the previous statements by the Russian government and the Russian media, with particular emphasis on "Georgia's aggression against South Ossetians".

Fluent in English, Vitaly Churkin chose to speak Russian instead during his remarks, urging those "not yet fluent in the great language" to use the headsets with sync-translation into English.

The introduction was swiftly followed by the promised documentary compiled by the Russian Mission to the UN for a special screening to mark the 40 days since the tragedy.

Ambassador warned those present that the footage was in parts so graphic, it needed severe editing beforehand. That certainly goes to both the Georgian and Russian media images and documentary shots.

Following a minute of silence in the memory of those who perished, mention Ossetians, Georgians and Russians, V. Churkin joined the auditorium to watch the documentary in 3 parts with the music of Adagio playing in the background.

As for the images - nothing new and particularly revealing that we haven't yet witnessed on TV and the press covering the events in Georgia and the Ossetian breakaway region during the past few weeks.

Two separate documentaries previously broadcasted on Russia Today satellite channel were replayed back to back, while those of us in the room either made notes hastily (very few, though) or just simply couldn't take our eyes of the footage. A special segment of Ossetian-born pro Russian conductor Valery Gergiev's performance in Tskhinvali immediately following the week-long war was also shown amidst other footage filmed in Ossetia.

One particular segment caught my eye immediately - it's undiplomatic cruelty and animosity was clearly somewhat out of place, especially for a venue such as the UN headquarters and Conference Room 1 in the basement of the General Assembly. A dead Georgian soldier lying on the ground completely unattended while two middle aged women standing several feet away from the scene watched the corpse deteriorate on the spot and spat on it from a short distance.

Truly staggering that a big TV company would even air this piece. Whether you're a Georgian, a Russian or a representative of any other ethnicity, people are people and this was one more proof that we haven't yet integrated into the 21st century if we are still behaving like cavemen. These were civilians, you see, not even the politicians.

45 minutes after the presentation had begun with Mr. Churkin's speech, the lights went out and the conference came to an end somewhat unexpectedly. No usual Q&A following most UN conferences and briefings of all sorts, nothing at all. Perhaps it was for the better, as the footage we had just witnessed could have stirred all kinds of negative emotions coming from varying perspectives, and as a result, provoked unpleasant interactions for some of the attendees. Although, most of those present were Russian delegates and press representatives. I have a feeling I must have been the only Georgian in the room. Not easy, not easy at all.

And that raises one very last observation: a few months ago before the conflict had erupted, there really was no difference whether you were a Georgian correspondent, a Russian one or a Pakistani journalist - we were all a part of the same press corp covering the same organization with equal rights and mutual sympathy for each other.

Today, for the first time after over 2 years spent at the UN, I realized that the world is once again on the verge of going backwards - what happened to the much anticipated democracy and globalization?

Sadly, I'm wondering if it's all a dream and not our very own reality. Couldn't get this thought out of my mind as I walked out of the UN building and onto 1st Ave, strolling down the street on my way to a music-oriented meeting - at last!! :-)

Perhaps the following generations will find themselves co-existing in a multi-colored, international society? Probably not for a long time...unless we realize the urgency of overcoming our nationalistic egos and personal as well as political power-struggles.

Maybe only then we will see what's beyond the war...

Peace.

The Face on My Bedroom Wall... Goes to Georgia!

It's official - The Face on My Bedroom Wall is finally going to visit my home country:

"Vancouver, BC September 15, 2008 – In the wake of the recent conflict in Georgia, Bryan Adams will head to Tbilisi, Georgia, for a September 19th concert billed as Peace, Freedom and Democracy for Georgia. The free concert will take place at 8pm at Rikhe Square in Tbilisi, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Georgia.

The performance comes 40 days following the first date of loss of life in that country – a significant day for the predominantly Orthodox Christian faith who believe the souls of those departed continue their journey after 40 days."

Actually, Bryan Adams has a history of going into country's following internal as well as international conflicts (e.g. Vietnam, Pakistan, Jordan, Sri Lanka, etc.)

Those of you who have read The Face on My Bedroom Wall can only imagine how much this means to me personally - very few in the entertainment world have admitted the relevance of this conflict on a global scale.

But let's face it, for a country that shares its name with a US state, hence the constant confusion (not so much following the recent events, in fact) it really is quite an achievement.

Above all, this once again proves that in this day and ago, any conflict or a mere unrest in even the smallest country on the map affects the rest of the world no longer just indirectly but in fact as directly as ever - one more proof that in our everything world, we are, indeed ONE - the same planet, same species, same dreams, goals and fears.

May have come across as a cliche before, but in today's reality, this couldn't possibly be more relevant and true at this very moment...

Blogging: Personal or Professional?

After setting up and later informally letting a few of the friends know about my "personal" blog the other day, I inevitably got several emails of the same nature: why create another blog when there's myspace?

Logical, I agree. But not so easy to answer....

It all started a month or so ago, when one of the friends here suggested that I create a separate "world" altogether and feel free to write anything and everything instead of constantly trying to censor myself again the "managing" powers and a few prying eyes here and there (that is, mostly from the real life, funny enough...)

Seemed like a good idea at the time, so as soon as I got a moment or two to myself this past week, I decided to make it happen - after all, it's just a click away, right?

To make the long story short, the new blog which I mentioned here before has replaced a journal but will, of course, not replace the official myspace blog - if the Russianette's world is a personal one, may this spot always remain musical, artistic and less silly in comparison with the "other one"....! :-)

We Will Never Forget: 9/11

"What happens in Georgia affects the world, we are all connected, and international affairs as we all know often become domestic ones as well," said one of my friends here on myspace in connection with the war-torn Georgia and the recent albeit unresolved conflict. The tragic event that brought the world and its inhabitants closer to each other than we had ever been in recent years was undoubtedly 9/11. The devastating images and irreversible consequences of the tragedy will haunt us for many generations to come, and the lives of those who perished on that day will irreplaceably remain in the hearts of their families and friends.

There's not an anniversary of September 11th that goes by without us asking each other over and over again: "Where were you when 9/11 happened?" It has become more of a routine in that sense, and in fact, a historic reference in itself, for we were all a part of that historic tragedy in every corner of the world.

So much has been written, said and mainly speculated about 9/11 in the last 7 years, but one thing remains the same after all this time - the world will never be the same and that is on a global scale. It was an attack on humanity as a whole, not just the Americans, the Christians or the Jews, etc. but every single one of us living and co-existing on this planet.

9/11.... We will never forget... And we will never surrender.

Health, peace and blessings to you all today and every day..........

Surprise, Surprise

So seldom in life, you cross paths with someone you feel you have known all of your life - you instantly overcome the introductory phase and bond like true friends in a matter of minutes. You laugh about silly-nothings, share little stories and memories of years gone by, talk about what's meaningful one minute and the next second you're fooling around like teenagers in a toy store. All of this comes and goes within a scope of just a few hours. Doubtful? Trust me, it isn't.

Last night I met the person that I had literally spent days on end observing and, in my own special way "knowing" from the distance during my early teenage years and onwards. If there are symbolic memorabilia and souvenirs that we cherish from our brief but adventurous childhood, the image and memories I had associated over the years with this very person is undoubtedly one of those sweet reminders of the naïveté and carelessness of being a youngster.

People come and go, especially in a big city where we meet so many different people day in and day out - and very few of them impact us in any way, often not even in the most minuscule of ways, sadly. But on the other hand, so rarely we come across those who become special to us immediately and you don't quite know how or why.

A friendship that has been in the making for years can sometimes manifest itself into a real-life connection on a spontaneous note - and that's when it truly brings joy to us because it lacks a cold, calculated and preplanned factor of a mere "set up". Not being limited by the bureaucracy of an arranged meeting for a specific purpose or a pre-written goal can make all the difference. And quite frankly, our lives in today's manic world are governed and permanently run by such calculated deeds and encounters.

Only once in a while can we truly break away from what's often referred to as a routine and be human again - enjoying the simple pleasures of what is always just around the corner, after all, but we always fail to notice it because we're either too busy or too ignorant.

At some point it comes to an end (oh no, not the ending but just a pause until the next time!) and you realize that it's time to reintegrate into the real world that you had left behind for a brief moment or two... And the spiral is in full motion all over again!

And then you look back and wonder: "Life is funny and so full of unexpected surprises...."

A wonderful getaway from the madness in the very heart of the Big Apple... Without even leaving the city, you can rediscover what you've spent years ignoring on your way from one meeting to another and back to square one again. Beautiful, fun and so real.

You know who you are - thank you!

Exclusive Interview on Georgia

Some of you familiar with my previous blogs about the situation in my home country may still remember the reference that I made a couple of weeks ago to a potential interview with the Georgian Ambassador to the United Nations.

After a few attempts to "catch" Mr. Alasania in-between his meetings and Security Council discussions to do the interview while the issue is still very much in the headlines, I finally got a chance to sit down with him at the UN Radio HQ this morning for a tete-a-tete dialogue about the current situation and what's in hold for Georgia and its two breakaway regions.

Although the interview airs on PRN (the NY-based radio station where I do my weekly show broadcast from the UN) and UN Radio this week, you can catch my private upload streaming right here.....

Quite a different side of Tinatin, I suppose... minus the dance beat :-) Would really love to hear what you think, if you get a chance to have a quick listen!!

My Fourth Anniversary

Sure seems as though it was only yesterday when I arrived at JFK thinking that I'd only be here for a few months at the most... And guess what - I'm still here! A foreign country became my surrogate home, and although it was a nightmare at times, I wouldn't change a thing about the journey.

Initially, I thought about writing the entire blog about the big move, but then I realized it would take weeks and weeks to tell the story, and let's face it - you're here to hear the music, not read!

So for those of you interesting in the story of a Georgian "Russianette", I've launched a new blog which will be separate from everything to do with myspace, labels, managers, etc. - a personal blog, rather.

You can join the group right here or Subscribe to Welcome to My Cozy Corner - from Russia with Love by Email

But in the meantime, a great weekend to you all in NYC and beyond! :-)

Inside the Mind of a 9-Year-Old File-Sharer

This brief interview was posted on the Torrent Freak website, and quite frankly, it is rather eye-opening about how the youngsters - the real computer + file-sharing + fast internet service users and major "downloaders" perceive the phenomenon of "music piracy".

Fascinating at best, but scary at its worst... Because, let's face it, this is our reality TODAY - and tomorrow, all of this below is bound to multiply itself x100!

TF. Hi Hannah! How old are you?

- I’m 10 in 12 days

TF. What sort of music are you listening to right now?

Sean Kingstone, Shayne Ward and High School Musical 2

TF. Where did you first get into music?

- On the music channels, on MTV.

TF. When did you get a PC?

- People had computers but I couldn’t go on them but my Dad bought me one last year. I have internet.

TF. What do you do on the internet?

- MSN, talking to friends and cousins, games and dressing-up games [dolls]

TF. When did you first start using the internet to get music?

- My cousin showed me YouTube and then LimeWire and I was like “whoa cool!”

TF. What was cool about it?

- Because you can put anything in and it will come up and you don’t actually pay for it. Well you have to pay for the internet and LimeWire comes with the internet but you have to pay for that so LimeWire isn’t really free.

TF. Ok…I see….Do you get music from anywhere else?

- My cousin gets it from BEBO. She copies it from other people’s pages and puts it on her own.

TF. Do you think it’s ok to copy the music?

- Yes it’s ok because she only does it to make her page better.

TF. So you’re sure that it’s ok to copy it? What do you think about copying?

- I suppose it’s not ok to copy but people copied it off her site so she just copies theirs. It’s like, you’re copying my t-shirt so i’m copying you on shoes.

TF. Ok, so a bit like copying school work?….Hmm….ok, let’s talk about copying on the computer again. When you started using LimeWire, did anyone ever mention that if you did certain things you might be breaking some laws?

- Why would they put it [music] on the internet and invent mp3 players if it was against the law?

TF. Confusing isn’t it?….You mentioned you like Sean Kingstone - what if I told you that Sean Kingstone’s boss might send you a letter asking for money because you shared his album on LimeWire? What would you say to him?

- W.E! [whatever!]

TF. Come on, play along with me. What would you say if he did?

- I’d say “tooooo strict!” and anyway he can’t make me do anything. He’s not the boss of me, he’s the boss of Sean Kingstone.

TF. What do you think might happen if you didn’t pay him?

- Nothing. I’m too young to be charged by the government so he can’t charge me.

TF. Would you carry on using LimeWire after he sent the letter?

- Yeah!

TF. Why?

- Because you can get good albums off there. Duh!! My CD’s don’t work in my mp3 player so LimeWire is the only way to do it. I bought High School Musical 2 on CD but it won’t go on my mp3 [player]

TF. How would you make LimeWire better?

- To speak to the person sending the music to make sure they send the right one, sometimes they send stuff that doesn’t even play.

TF. Do you know what a pirate is?

- They have parrots [effects 'arrrrr']

TF. Do you think its legal or illegal to copy a CD or DVD?

- Some men right, they sell you a DVD at the market but when you get home it doesn’t play, that’s illegal.

TF. Why is it illegal?

- Duh!! Because they tell you it works and when you get it home it’s rubbish and jumps in the middle and its a waste of money!

TF. Do you think you should be paying for stuff off LimeWire? You have to buy CD’s from the shop…

- You have to pay for CD’s because they’re actually on a disc not on the computer. My cousin, right, she uses LimeWire when she doesn’t have any money for CDs.

TF. Did you ever download anything by anybody and then go to see them?

- I got stuff by Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe and then I went to see Blue. Why don’t you ask me what my favorite hobby is?

TF. Ok, what’s your favorite hobby?

- Dancing to music, it’s fun!!

Unplugged

One of the best things about NYC is the immense talent of locally based musicians - some more amazing than others - who make the music scene of New York so exciting and diverse.

I'm really proud to say that I've already had the opportunity to work with some of these great musicians - and though I know it's just the beginning of the journey and I haven't even touched the tip of the iceberg in many ways, this has really been a huge treat for me.

Several months ago, I was introduced to Billy Jay Stein, who apparently is not only an amazing musician and an incredibly down-to-earth, warm person, but is also related to one of my heros - the magical force behind "Funny Girl", Jule Styne.

Billy and I met at Bluenote/EMI HQ in NY while I was preparing for my EMI performance, and from the day we first got together to jam at his studio, I was so hooked - literally didn't want to stop rehearsing, he was just so amazing and so comfortable to work with from day one!

A couple of months later, we also wrote a song together with Jeff Franzel (Billy is a really fabulous writer - great ideas and incredibly inspiring vibe, which is VERY rare) called "Beautiful", which I'm sure many of you have heard on myspace :-)

But here's a little something just for you.... Can't put it up on myspace as it really was recorded (in mono!) during our little rehearsal - it's not even a demo, just us two jamming! - so we can't share this, guys! But you can have a listen to our little duet... "What If It's You"

Before We Say Goodnight...

About to retire to bed and call it a day around 2a.m., I casually flipped through the foreign channels on the cable and came across a special report on the "Brand New Independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia" on one of the Russian owned English-language stations.

Wish I had turned it off right away and gone to sleep instead, for the level of utter misinformation and numerous biased opinions scrambled into a somewhat tastefully produced report was a little too much for my sleep-deprived mind.

There's been enough of futile "winners and losers" talks about the war and the endless arguments about "who started it", but openly misinforming the public and deliberately refusing to shed the light on both sides of the conflict whilst constantly referring to "Georgia's aggression against South Ossetia" (which in itself sounds ridiculous) is slowly turning into a tedious discussion, and also a bit of a cliché, too - let's be honest.

Peacekeepers or piece-keepers... Who knows... Sanctions or no sanctions... Hard to predict at this point, for the talks within the EU framework have been postponed - indefinitely? Depending when the Russian troops are fully withdrawn from Georgia, based on the EU-brokered six-point peace plan between Russia and Georgia.

You try to remain objective and open-minded about this whole issue, but at the end of the day, it's almost impossible to resist becoming somewhat biased, and ultimately taking sides.

Political wars... Diplomatic disputes... It's the 21st century, people, let's get it into perspective, finally!

Online Charts & Hush-Hush News...!

Hi everyone!

Having spent the last couple of weeks on the go and updating the myspace blogs via my little BlackBerry, I only just realized that both "Connected" and "Thinking of Someone Else" are back in the online charts on Ourstage. Or to be more precise, Connected is #4 and Thinking of Someone Else in climbing slowly but surely towards the Top 5 hotspot, currently at #7 in Dance/Club category.

And according to the very latest from London (still a bit hush-hush due to contracts, etc. so don't tell 'em I told ya!) you should definitely watch this space for a brand new upcoming remix of "Thinking of Someone Else" from one of the hottest club DJ's in the United Kingdom..... it won't be long.... In fact, due to hit the clubs much sooner than we suspected.... along with the Charmix currently storming the UK clubs and featured on more Dance/Club compilations in Canada to be released this month onwards........

Will keep you posted, as always! But for now - tara! (you, Brits, will get this one! :-)

DJ Jay Martin's London Mixshow!

London's very own DJ Jay Martin's Take It Out In Trade (Summer House Anthems '08) is now available for a free download, which includes Top 10 summer remixes such as Cyndi Lauper, Nerved ft. Anna Hanser, Tinatin, Rihanna....

Get your hands on a free copy now right here... And enjoy the party!

Cold War II?

Back when my family and I still lived in Georgia, the only association I had with the date of September 1st was the end of my summer holidays when I, along with my peers, ran back to school first thing in the morning and resumed my studies.

Years later, it is no longer just a date that symbolizes going back to school but something rather patriotic and all the more meaningful not only to an average young pupil but on a larger scale to every Georgian residing back home and abroad.

In other words, as of today, September 1 has been declared the day of Georgian Unity.

More than 1 million people across Georgia protested Russian military action and the Kremlin's backing for the country's two separatist regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Many waving the red-and-white Georgian flag, protesters linked arms in the capital, Tbilisi, in a human chain that snaked through the city under cloudy skies.

Flags flew from balconies and protesters chanted "Long Live Georgia!" and "Stop Russia!"

According to Reuters, countrywide, police said more than 1 million people took part in what authorities said was a show of unity after Russia last month crushed a Georgian bid to retake breakaway South Ossetia from pro-Moscow separatists.

By the end of the rally, the figure could not be independently confirmed by any one source, but it could arguably account for more than one-fifth of the country's 4.5 million + population.

"Today we can say Georgia is not alone because the whole world is standing beside us," President Mikheil Saakashvili told the crowd on Tbilisi's Freedom Square.

He said Monday's protest marked the largest gathering in Georgia since the country of split from the Soviet Union in 1991.

In the meantime, earlier today the European Union held an emergency summit on Georgia. Collectively shying away from any particular sanctions, the leaders decided to postpone talks on a new EU-Russia partnership scheduled for later this month if Moscow has not withdrawn its troops to pre-conflict positions in Georgia by then.

Not many, including the Russian Federation, could have imagined the small Caucasian Republic of Georgia, often confused in the US with one of the American States, taking the center stage in one of the most talked-about international upheavals in the recent period.

In fact, the conflict that swiftly escalated into a war between nations a few weeks ago in the heart of the breakaway region of South Ossetia came very close to ignited a new Cold War between the US and Russia, let alone striking a serious diplomatic dispute between a large portion of the western world and the Kremlin in Moscow.

"We are not afraid of anything, including the prospect of a new Cold War," Russian President Medvedev was quoted as saying Tuesday by the ITAR-Tass news agency. "But we don't want it and in this situation everything depends on the position of our partners."

Is it over? Not quite..... But what's next - nobody knows. And that's the scary part.