Stacy Swim - Co-Editor

In last month’s note, I talked about how fortunate and blessed I feel. Well, some people aren’t as fortunate and blessed as I am. In this month’s edition, I feature the charity amfAR because approximately one third of the profits after expenses of the Team MiG Global Fansite Store go to this charity. Wait until you read the statistics about AIDS/HIV. They are astounding, and it made me cry reading then typing them. At the end of my article, I mention that MiG played HIV positive Angel in the Jonathan Larson musical “Rent.” I’d like to leave you with some of the lyrics MiG and the rest of the cast sang. I take them to heart and so did MiG because he has said, “Every time I hear the music I am moved.” I hope you take them to heart as well.

“Forget regret or life is yours to miss
No other road ~ No other way
No day but today ~ There’s only now ~ There’s only here
Give in to love ~ Or live in fear
No day but today,”
and,
“How do you measure - measure a year?
In daylights - In sunsets ~ In midnights - In cups of coffee ~ In inches ~ In miles
In laughter ~ In strife
How do you measure ~ A year in the life ~ How about love?
It’s time now - to sing out ~ Tho’ the story never ends
Let’s celebrate ~ Remember a year in the life of friends
Remember the love ~ Measure, measure your life in love.”

Miggy love and squishes, Stacy

Gisele Williams - Co-Editor

They are larger than life on TV and on stage but get the chance to sit and chat with the rockers from ‘Rockstar: INXS’ and you come to realize that these oh-so-talented artists are regular people, like you and me. I did just that last month when I met with Suzie McNeil, Tara Slone, Ty Taylor and MiG Ayesa, first in Toronto then in North Bay, Canada.

To be backstage watching a rock concert unfold and then to have the opportunity to get to know these phenomenal performers in a relaxed environment and really understand that creating art and making music is their primary and driving vocation in life, was an incredible experience. They seem to have little choice ~ they must do this! I am so very glad to have talked to these rising stars at the ‘near beginning’ of their journey to what I believe will be their inevitable success in the music industry. I enjoyed getting to know each one of them, even if just a little, and to learn what motivates them to do what they do.

This has been a most extraordinary experience for me personally. I did not expect MiG to visit Canada any time soon, much less land in my own backyard! I thank him, Suzie, Tara and Ty for the wonderful memories of a fabulous weekend!

Have a Miggy day, eh! Gisèle

********

Happy Father’s Day to all on June 11th or 18th depending on where you live ~

On June 12th, the Philippines celebrated their 108th year of Independence while our Australian friends will be celebrating the Queen’s birthday!

It’s Canada Day on July 1st and Independence Day for our American friends on the 4th of July!

Do It For MiG
  By Stacy Swim 

As people on the Team MiG message board know, I proudly wear my MiG t-shirt and MiG button. Not only do I wear them to promote MiG, but I am proud that approximately one third of my purchases after expenses from the Team MiG Global Fan Site Store goes to amfAR. It's a great way to promote MiG & contribute to this wonderful organization. AmfAR stands for American Foundation for AIDS Research, but that was not their first name. According to http://www.amfAR.org when AIDS was first observed, it caused concern among a group of scientists and doctors in New York. An informal study group was formed to explore the underlying cause of the diverse, severe, and apparently unrelated symptoms exhibited by patients. The cause was identified as a profound acquired immune deficiency, probably of infectious origins. As more and more cases of AIDS were reported, the informal study group headed by Dr. Mathilde Krim perceived the threat of a general epidemic. They demanded early and vigorous research, as well as a concerted public information campaign. There was an alarming lack of voices that spoke out on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS or in support of federal funds for AIDS research or prevention because of the initial stigma related to HIV/AIDS. In April 1983, the AIDS Medical Foundation (AMF) was founded in New York to fill the gap and raise private funds to support scientific and medical research. AMF awarded grants and became active in disseminating accurate information to legislators and an uninformed public. Then in September 1985, the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) was formed through the unification of AMF and the like-minded National AIDS Research Foundation, which had been incorporated in California. “Today, amfAR is the nation’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to the support of innovative AIDS research, targeted HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment education programs, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.”

Through its basic research program, amfAR supports innovative research into the development of new anti-HIV drugs, better prevention methods such as an AIDS vaccine, and ways to restore the immune system. AmfAR’s Clinical Research and Information program seeks to improve treatment management and to raise the standards of care for people with HIV/AIDS. The Public and Professional Education initiatives seek to keep people with HIV/AIDS and their health care providers informed about the latest advances in HIV/AIDS treatment through a variety of conferences, continuing medical education courses, and community forums. AmfAR’s Public Policy program works to protect the human rights of all people affected by HIV/AIDS and advocates necessary increases in federal funding for HIV/AIDS research, effective prevention strategies, and expanded access to treatment and care. The Prevention Science program focuses on identifying and implementing strategies that can help people measurably reduce their risk of HIV infection. Since it’s early days, amfAR’s Global initiatives program has helped health care workers and AIDS organizations in developing countries to maximize local resources, and implement effective research, treatment, prevention, and education strategies.

Your five dollars can go to any of those programs. And if you don’t think even five dollars can help just read these statistics and then try to tell me it won’t help. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS estimates that there are now over 40 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide, 2.2 million of them are under the age of 15. Every day 14,000 people contract HIV - ten people per minute. In the United States, nearly one million people have HIV infection or AIDS, or roughly one out of every 250 people, and more than 524,000 have died. Since the beginning of this epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 30 million people worldwide. In 2005, 3.1 million people died from AIDS, 570,000 of them were under the age of 15. That’s one child dying per minute. AIDS has replaced malaria and tuberculosis as the world’s deadliest infectious disease among adults and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Over 15 million children have been orphaned by this epidemic, losing one or both parents to the disease.

As I said, even five dollars or buying one MiG button can help. Do it for MiG. He played Angel in the musical “Rent” who is HIV positive in the show and dies. MiG loves the band Queen, whose lead singer Freddie Mercury died of AIDS in1991, and starred in the musical “We Will Rock You” which showcases Queen’s music. MiG even performed on December 1, 2005 in the Philippines for MTV World AIDS Day. During his performance he said, “In the name of love, in the name of love, I’m so sick of hearing people dying in the name of love! We have to live in the name of love, you know what I’m saying. Love is for living. Love should not be a death sentence. Just because you love doesn’t mean you have to die.” Here is the link to make a donation in honor of MiG: http://amfAR.kintera.org/Mig Or if you would like to donate by purchasing an item from the Team MiG Global Fansite Store go to: http://www.cafepress.com/teammig. And to read about Team MiG on the amfAR website go to: http://www.amfar.org/cgi-bin/iowa/donate/record.html?record=28

Canada Rocks with the Rockstars!
By Gisèle Williams

( l. to r. ~ Suzie McNeil, Ty Taylor, Tara Slone, MiG Ayesa)

They regaled us with their music throughout the summer of 2005 and I truly missed having these gifted performers in my home week after week when the ‘Rockstar: INXS’ show came to an end last September. So when I received advance notification from Suzie McNeil’s website of a ‘rockers’ gig in Toronto, Canada on May 14th, I was excited. The ‘After Rockstar Party’ featuring the Sean Cotton Band and starring Suzie McNeil, Tara Slone, Ty Taylor and our own MiG Ayesa was not an event I was going to miss! Reading on, I learned that they would do a second show the following night in North Bay. I couldn’t believe it! The rockers were performing in Ontario on two consecutive nights and I was going to be able to attend both shows!

Coming directly from the INXS concert at the Air Canada Centre, I arrived at Toronto’s Guvernment Nightclub where the crowd of over 600 fans were anxious to get this late evening gig underway. A local favourite for many years, the Sean Cotton Band opened the show. Suzie’s long-time friend, Sean Cotton is a talented songwriter and a popular Toronto area musician who is making his mark on the Canadian music scene with his debut CD, ‘The Last Call Club’ which he released this past March. The crowd warmed to his style and he immediately kicked the show into high gear! Suzie, Ty, Tara and MiG took it up into the stratosphere!

With a mix of original songs and classic rock covers, each rocker took their turn at the stage for a two-song solo set and each delivered pitch perfect, high-energy performances. They were on their mark; no one missed a beat! It couldn’t get any better, right? Ah, but when they later shared the stage and performed back up for each other, their excitement of being back on stage singing together was tangible! This was no longer a competition. They were having fun and it showed! The crowd responded in kind with thunderous applause and roaring cheers.

There were rumours that the ‘cast’ might sing Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, a hotly contested song during the 'Rockstar: INXS’ show. Would they do it? No one knew for certain. The rockers did not disappoint. With Suzie taking lead, and MiG, Tara and Ty performing back up, they delivered a phenomenal rendition of this rock anthem for their encore finale! MiG later told me that he truly enjoyed singing the BoRhap bass, something he’s not had the chance to do often.

The performance line up changed slightly in North Bay but the content of the show remained the same with Tara covering Zeppelin’s ‘Rock and Roll’ and an original, ‘Beautiful’. MiG took the stage, opening his set with ‘Lola’ and his original song, 'Nothing You Do’. Ty offered two original rock tunes, ‘I Believe in Love’ and ‘Descending’ while Suzie rounded off that portion of the show nailing ‘Start Me Up’ and ‘Losing my Religion’. Slowing down the pace a bit and following MiG’s own melodic arrangement of ‘Baby I Love Your Way’, Ty delivered a polished ‘No Woman No Cry’, which kick-started the series of ‘group’ songs. I could not have thought it possible, but their performance in North Bay was even more electrifying than in Toronto. “This place is nuts!” MiG cried out to the audience during his solo set!

“I think all of them are very overwhelmed by the response from North Bay,” Leanne Davis, co-host of 102FM The Fox Radio Morning Show told me. “I mean North Bay is 56,000 people, you know. Look at this place…it’s close to a thousand, it’s close to a sell out!” The crowd was on their feet dancing, singing, applauding, and interacting with the rockers as they each, at some point during the show, left the stage and rocked among the audience. Of course, I thank Suzie for insisting that MiG take off his Junker Designs t-shirt, even if it was for only a few minutes! I needn’t tell you that the crowd approval for the ‘lost’ clothing was palpable!

I had the opportunity to chat with the rockers in both Toronto and North Bay and what a pleasure it was to do so! I can tell you that what we saw on TV of these artists, as performers and as, well, just people struggling to meet a challenge, is representative of who they really are. I was having a bit of fun teasing Suzie about being as ‘crazy’ and fun loving in real life as she was on the show. She laughed and responded, “Well, yeah, it’s just me!”

Without having been involved with RSI, I wondered if Sean Cotton was feeling a bit ‘left out’. I need not have been concerned. “To actually come together collectively and put on a show like this,” Sean told me from the porch at 100 George’s Dining and Entertainment Lounge in North Bay, “was a lot of fun ‘cuz everybody’s potentials were able to be fulfilled.” He went on. “I do what I do and I hope that it resonates with the people. We’re just making music and hopefully people will respond to it...and that’s happened this weekend for us, which is great! It’s been an interesting experiment to open for artists that are really established in the media...to have them respond the way they have, it’s been just really such a surprise and everyone’s been so gracious. It’s been really cool the way it’s all really worked out.”

A true ‘rock girl’, Tara is very excited about the impending release of her new CD, ‘Just Look Pretty and Sing’ which will be out in stores within the next couple of months. I asked her about moving to L.A., a move Suzie recently made, and was surprised to learn that she’s staying in Toronto. “I have a history in the music industry in Canada so it is smarter for me to just work with that.” Tara has no inclination to go to L.A. except to visit with her ‘rockstar’ friends. “It’s been so wonderful [getting together with them]. We love each other. You build this incredible relationship and this incredible amount of trust when you’re thrust into that weird environment [referring to the show]...I think the first thing that would be in order would be some visits with my friends ‘cuz I really haven’t been down there since the finale of the show.”

Ty is very excited about his CD as well, which he describes as, “A classic blend of classic rock and soul with a contemporary edge.” He’s been offered several signing deals but he and his management team have decided to finesse the album before signing. Ty told me that he’ll know, “When it feels right,” but assured me that we won’t have to wait much longer! Ty describes himself as a ‘Renaissance’ man, an artist with many outlets. He sings, yes, but he also paints, ‘does’ theatre and karate, to list but a few. “Being an artist,” he told me, “is my life. Art is my life and incorporating it all together makes my music have more life!” True dat Ty, your music kicks it!

“All I know to be true is that I love music. When I remember how I feel about music and singing, that’s all I need to know. The rest is kind of confusing to be honest.” Suzie confided when I finally had a chance to talk with her. “Life is a crazy journey...it’s hard but I’m enjoying it. I have a three-year visa [to work in the USA]... This is my mantra: I want to make a living and make a life out of what I love. That’s all I want out of life.” I asked Suzie about her new CD. “It’s rock! It’s got a bit of like a Shania Twain thing too but it works for me. I’m so proud of my album, I feel great about it! No matter what happens with my album I can say that I’m glad to be doing this. I love it!” Suzie’s management team is working on getting just the right channel to bring her CD to market!

Suzie shared her thoughts about MiG’s impending CD. “This album for him is: number one, perfect for him and; number two, going to be beautiful!” she told me. “You put it on; you have a glass of red wine. I feel that’s what MiG’s album is going to be. What a great piece of work, piece of art to offer the world!” Thanks Suzie for that ‘inside scoop’ as we all anxiously await the late summer release of MiG’s CD.

I took the opportunity to ask Tara, Suzie and Ty if they had any thoughts to share with Team MiG. “Genuineness is key”, Tara told me, “and I think MiG’s fans are attracted to him 'cuz he’s a genuine human being and that’s why we all love each other ‘cuz we’re genuine people and we care about each other and music.” Suzie shared, “I’m so glad that people are loving him so much and supporting him. I feel like he deserves it, 100 percent.” And Ty simply told me to, “Keep loving him as much as I do.”

On behalf of all the rockers, Ty wanted Team MiG to know that, “We [the rockers] appreciate everyone’s support.” Not a problem Ty for we appreciate the talent that each of you have and what it brings to us when we experience your music!

Special thanks go to many for the awesome opportunities I was given the weekend of May 14th, in particular and in addition to Suzie McNeil, Tara Slone, Ty Taylor, Sean Cotton and of course, MiG Ayesa, special thanks and acknowledgments to:
Michael Bacon, Show Producer; Rob McNeil; the Guvernment Nightclub, Toronto; Leanne Davis (radiogurl), Kenny Brewster and 102 The Fox Radio, North Bay.

There’s a distinct possibility that Michael Bacon will continue to put together mini rock shows with different RSI rockers. Sign up with all your favourite rockers’ websites and MySpace web pages to stay in the know. You never know when a rockstar might just land in your own backyard!

(click for larger pics)

"Every day here is a blessing and every hour is an adventure." ~MiG Ayesa

This section will also be where you can find current and upcoming concert dates. 

To submit your Advice Column Questions, please PM Sunshine, hellola, starstacy, canukfan 

-LATEST NEWS

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Watch for MiG on KABABAYAN LA on LA18 Monday the 19th. It can be seen on www.la18.tv/kababayan

-MiG at Capitol Records:
MiG has been in Studio B at Capitol Records in LA. They were laying down some of the drum tracks with John (JR) Robertson. They are also mixing the tracks MiG recorded with Matthew Wilder.

-MiG the Jetsetter:
MiG will be traveling again this month... heading off to NY and London to work with Rob Mathes. He will be recording at Abbey Road Studios in London!

-Rockstar: Supernova:
MiG's Camp has confirmed that we will be seeing MiG on occasion on the new season of Rockstar! Details to come soon!

-Street Team Formed and in Full Swing! Sign Up Here!

-Promote MiG's MySpace, send messages and watch for updates!