Trina: How & when did you discover you were an artist?
Alexie F:good question,,,,,i didn't really know until years later,,,that i was actually an artist,,, but there was always art and music around me,,,,my father was a musician & painter,,,, there were bongos, congas etc... @ 5 years old, I received a white marble lined set of bongos from my father,,,, i was also blessed to be raised in the projects where @ that time there was a lot of diverse people with diverse taste in music,,,,my dad adored music,,,he had an incredible collection of music
Trina: What are your loves? What do you really appreciate?
Alexie F: being artistic,,,, i love 2 laugh
joy is something that we all strive for,,,,but many don't know how to reach it,,,find ur nitch that makes u happy,,,,& don't be a Same shit different day person (man I hate that),,,,(in a soft voice) i rather be a man going backward than forward (reflecting) cuz people gave a shit back in the day,,,,unlike now people r only about themselves,,,,,that ain't love
Trina: Did your upbringing have any influence on your artistic ability?
Alexie F:in the beginning,,,,when my dad was around, i was always listening 2 music,,,if i wasn't doin' that,,,,i was up late nights watching nbc,,,,,,,carson,,,,,don kirshner's rock concert,,,,hahahaha,,,,when i really should have been asleep,,,,i also got 2 see my family jam 2 music w/my dad,,, & spend time with my grandfather in the summer in pr,,,so much incredible music around,,,i was very blessed 2 have grown up when i did
Trina: Name some of your artistic influences?
Alexie F: lucky enough,,,companies back in the day offered to send music for a penny
Trina: (snickering) Yeah I know I remember
Alexie F: i would randomly choose music & after a while i would run out of choices,,,,peter frampton's frampton album, billy joel, foreigner's 4,,,, my mom was listening 2 tom jones in the house,,,,came in late on the beatles,,,,i was introduced 2 them by my hippie babysitter,,,,(thinking) hmmmmm,,,,,,,don't remember her name,,,she had me listen 2 the doors, jose feliciano, karen carpenter,,,,jimmy hendrix,,,they all left an impression on me.,,,my dad turned me on 2 led zepplin,,,i believe that they were a huge influence on the way i absorb music,,,they aren't just music, they r an experience,,, if u haven't heard it yet check out led zepplin III,,, listen 2 black dog,,,,one needs 2 be self influenced,,,& not let others totally influence them
Trina: What is your affiliation with the visual art world?
Alexie F: i have always been connected,,,my father was a painter, a poet, a musician,,,, my ex-girlfriend's father's friend was an art dealer so i would see a lot of great art all the time,,,,i started collecting recently,,,i have 3 of my best friend's works and 1 of her husband's pieces called mother nature viii,,,,i regret that i do not have any of my father's work
Trina: When did music become a part of your life?
Alexie F: music was always part of my life,,,it was always in my house,,,i grew up around it,,,i can't remember never having music around
Trina: What are some of your contributions to music?
Alexie F: 1st job,,,i was part of the staff @ sparkle management in the bronx which put out latin hip hop (also known as freestyle) music,,, i went & begged for a job,,,,marc anthony came out of that camp,,,he wasn't the only freestyle artists who went to salsa,,,la india, 1 of the founding members of tka was also very successful in salsa music,,,not many succeeded like they did,,,but going back to what i did,,,, under george vascones direction,,,, i would get artists groomed for their opportunity to get seen
Trina: like Sean was for Uptown Entertainment. You were basically an A& R person
Alexie F: yes u can say that ,,,,i also have collaborated & written music with many different people,,,,house music, freestyle, r&b, hip hop
Trina: How many musical instruments can you play & are you classically trained?
Alexie F: piano, drums, congas, bongos & guitar,,,no i am not classically trained,, i mean i didn't attend julliard or anything
Trina: Hahaha
Alexie F: i mostly learned by listening,,,& i play by ear,,,i have had some lessons early on,,,but i went off on my own & did my thing
Trina: Is there one artist who you wish to work with?
Alexie F: musically? theatrically?
Trina: Either or both
Alexie F: currently,,,larry david of curb your enthusiasm & seinfield fame,,,,very gifted & funny man,,,,ted danson said on the george lopez show that he was a genus,,,,,that is true,,,musically? (pauses) WOW,,,,, there r so many people ,,,thom yorke (from Radiohead),,,i think that his music is constantly evolving,,,i can listen to the album (Amnesiac) & hear something new every time i listen 2 it,,,his music is timeless,,,,timeless,,,what an incredible musician
Trina: What is your affiliation to Hip Hop?
Alexie F: that is a very interesting question ,,,,,,,,,,,,,i was born a few blocks away from where hip hop was created,,,,, i was born & raised in marble hill projects in the bronx,,,,,,, if u don’t know sedgwick/heath ave gave birth to hip hop,, i use 2 walk to school in the late 70’s early 80’s,,,hip hop was like a cousin, a nephew , a brother 2 me,,,,,it has always been part of my life,,,,song writing has always been part of my life,,,my luv 4 music lead me 2 hosting an online radio show called as u know the zro hour,,,, the web address http://www.thezrohour.com/
