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Michael Yongue

Michael Yongue has been an active online contributor and promoter since I can remember. His socially minded threads on numerous message boards, are a first indication of what really makes this guy tick. As the founder of The Alternative Static Foundation, he collected independent online musicians to his side and recently produced two compilation CDs to help make aware the plight of teenage suicide in North America. An accomplished pianist, radio personality, online promoter and humanitarian, I chatted with Michael from his studio deep with in the bowels of NYC....

Mb: Hello Michael
Michael Yongue: Hey man. What's up?
Mb says: What are you up to right now?
Michael: Just answering some e-mail
Mb: Do you get a lot of mail?
Michael: I get too much. There should be laws or something.
Mb: I bet you have a pretty clear idea of how the Internet show work...
Michael: Beneath this rough and tumble exterior lies a man who can barely figure out how to send attached files Nah, really...I'm not a tech person, but I know enough to be dangerous.
Mb: what about on the social side of things... ie.. too many emails. What's your perfect Internet world?
Michael: You know, that's a scary question. Why? Because you have to THINK before you can give any valid answer.
Mb: Thinking dangerous?
Michael: thinking without proper caffeine intake = disastrous.
Mb: lol
Michael: Okay, perfect Internet world...I think a "perfect" any type of world (Internet or otherwise) has to start with acceptance. Not necessarily "I agree with you", but "I agree with your right to have and voice that opinion". I think we've come a long way in that regard, really.
Mb: So anything goes?
Michael: Not necessarily anything goes I mean, there's got to be some limit, I guess. Pedophilia? Murder? The problem them becomes WHO decides what those limits are?
Mb: And who should that be?
Michael: Therein lies the problem.
Mb: What about the viewer?
Michael: what about the viewer...do you mean how do we protect the viewer?
Mb: No.. I mean, should they be the one WHO decides?
Michael: excellent point.
Mb: Age old debate on censorship
Michael: And you know, censorship is such a hot button issue with me. I have to come at it from two directions that sometimes conflict, which is terribly annoying. Here's and example: I do my radio show tonight, and I decide to include the song "That" by GodboX. In the song, is the line "all the screw-ups, wasted years, shit you never faced" so I chose a song that artistically is BRILLIANT and lyrically FORWARD. It deals with a real-world issue on a level that young people can fully associate with. And it pisses adults off. So do I turn my show into something that is dictated by the moral majority or do I speak the language of my demographic (damn that sounds technical) and help save lives?
Mb: Do you cater to your sponsors or your listeners?
Michael: Exactly.
Mb: And the answer is?
Michael: Well luckily, I am in a position to make big changes in this, because Alternative Static is breaking some new ground in a lot of ways. Basically, here's my view in a nutshell... I'd much rather encourage a young person to say "FUCK YOU" once in while than to ignore their problems and wait until they bring guns to school and make their statement in a more permanent way.
Mb: And what if the sponsorship dries up and you can't get that message out there any more?
Michael: I don't think that's going to happen. I could be wrong (and it's a huge risk if I am,) but it's my story and I'm stickin' to it.
Mb: So tell me more about the radio show. What's it's purpose?
Michael: Well the big purpose of The Michael Yongue Show is to do what I wish mainstream radio had the balls to do. I play music (mostly unsigned artists) that has life - not the bubble gum crap brought to you by GQ Magazine and some fat dude with a lot of money.
Mb: And who and where are your listeners?
Michael: Anybody I can tackle on the street with a 'net connection. I've got listeners from all over the world, which was the point of doing the show on the 'net to begin with. Because the show is on at 9pm, that's a good time for the East coasters, the West coasters are just getting off work, That's 2am GMT, so our listeners in the UK are usually drunks and insomniacs (or people who just love me that much).
Mb: Shoot me the url
Michael: www.myradioonline.com my show is on Fridays there, but the station (MY Radio Online) is now a 24/7 station.
Mb: describe what's going on there
Michael: Well in a nutshell, MRO is the latest project of The Alternative Static Foundation. It's a never-ending stream of music, news, comedy, etc. that is infused with the foundation's message that "Silence is no way to treat suicide" The ultimate goal is that, when the foundation's community center is built (2 years from now if I have to give every organ in my body to make it happen), the station will be run entirely by teens at the center.
Mb: And people can just tune in?
Michael: yep
Mb: Free?
Michael: free.
Mb: And who gets a show? Can anyone apply?
Michael: That's something we've just started working on recently. The tough part is that the station is running on two connections at once (56k for cable users and 24k for dialup users) and most people's computer systems aren't set up to deal with that.
Mb: Sounds techy.
Michael: It can be, which is why I'm sweating profusely right now, scared to death of your next questions. I'm moist and it's not a good feeling.
Mb: Ok change the subject... Tell me more about the Alternative Static Foundation.
Michael: TASF started way way back in June of 2000 when I heard this song that literally changed my entire life. I was up late listening to some music online (I'm NEVER not listening to music) this song came on, "Angel Eyes" by the Buzzpoets.the lyrics were just so riddled with pain and loss The song was written in the wake of the murder/suicide of the band's friend Dave Mussen. The 18 year old frontman for another band. His father shot him in his sleep and then turned the gun on himself. It's really tough to describe what happened over the next few days; it's a blur that I don't really understand. That weekend, as if the answer was right in front of my eyes the whole time, a lightbulb went off and I said to my partner "I've got to do something about teen suicide"
Mb: What were you doing before... for a living?
Michael: Web and graphic design and image consulting.
Mb: Are you still doing that too?
Michael: On occasion. Since July of 2000, my full-time work has been getting TASF started. And once the Infernal Revenue Service sends me the tentative approval for our nonprofit status, I'll even be able to start drawing a salary (after I get lots and lots of donations, that is)
Mb: Are you involved in 3D world as well?
Michael: Could you rephrase the question?
Mb: Do you work the streets too? Do you organize events, for instance?
Michael: I'm sorry, I somehow read that as you asking me if I'm preventing suicide in third world countries... (OH SHUT UP)
Mb: lol.. Do you?
Michael: One question at a time!! Hahaha Okay, real world: yes. The first year was primarily on the Internet, while I got my bearings, got the ideals down on paper, etc. Right now I'm dealing with the arduous task of forming the foundation's Board of Directors which has been a TOUGH task. I mean, I'm having to consider the fact that these people are going to be entrusted with my baby, you know? I'm working with a band from White Plains, NY (Black Diamond) on putting together a benefit concert for the foundation. It will be the first public event that is specifically for the foundation, though I have spoken at events in the past on behalf of the foundation. Last August I was in Colorado playing at an event that was to raise money for a youth community center there. I'd been asked to speak about youth suicide issues, which I did. After I came off the stage, a young guy walked up to me and put $100 in my hand. He was crying and I just looked at him. Before I could say anything, he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and showed me rows of scars from where he had cut himself with razor blades.
Mb: Sad stories...
Michael: Yes, there are lots of those, but there are LOTS of happy endings, too. The next day (same event), I talked to a young girl who had missed my speech. We talked for 2 hours that day and she's now in therapy and doing a lot better.
Mb: And what about your music... do you get time?
Michael: Not much.
Mb: And when you do?
Michael: My music these days is about 99.9% piano-based. I did spend some "me time" a few months back and put out some tracks in the World music genre. I wanted to test the waters, so I released them under a pseudonym. www.javamusic.com/me Thus Machine|Eulogy was born. "Machine eulogy" is actually an anagram of "Michael Yongue", but it sounded really cool. The other day I got a wild hair and uploaded a lot of my old piano stuff to the same page. The true m|e music is listed under the CD titled "World"
Mb: So how long have you been a musician?
Michael: I can't remember ever not being one.
Mb: I'm listening now....is very moody... indicative?
Michael: I think it would have to be, really. My music is my soul. Everything (at least instrumentally speaking) is very indicative of my mood and feelings at the time. That's one of the beautiful things about music, or any art really. You can capture a moment, a sense, an emotion.
Mb: Where else can we find your music.... urls?
Michael: www.artistlaunch.com/m There's a 28 minute piece on the artist launch page called "Incidental Meditation".
Mb: I'd like to back up a minute.. Tell me about "Say the World"
Michael: Oh okay, Say The Word was the project that started TASF. Remember me saying that I "had to do something about teen suicide"? Say The Word is what I did. STW was a benefit CD project. Two CDs with music that was donated by artists from around the world who wanted to help "use music to save lives".
www.mp3.com/saytheword, www.mp3.com/womenrock The first CD includes the song that started it all, "Angel Eyes", as well as one of the last recordings from the guy that song was about, "Cloud 9" by Dave Mussen and the Distorted Penguins.
Mb: So... let's talk about artistarea.com and the overall nature of bulliten boards.
Michael: Ah, the big questions.
Mb: lol... I know it's a personal issue with you. You spend alot of time communicating yourself through the bb.
Michael: This is true. It's an amazing medium, really. Being able to touch so many people from so many walks of life.
Mb: How has it changed your life?
Michael: For starters, I met my best friend because of artistarea.com I've met so many folks that I would never have met otherwise. I can list people who I'd never have come in contact with in the real world (like you, for instance) had it not been for message boards.
Mb: Is that necessarily a good thing?
Michael: I think it is. The event I talked about in Colorado happened because of the 'net, for instance. There were some less-than-great things that happened there, but the big picture is good.
Mb: Sometimes I wonder whether the Internet IS a good form of communication. It can be so easily misread, misunderstood. Sarcasm, for instance doesn't travel so well.
Michael: Oh man, that's definitely true.
Mb: It's like with children. They don't understand sarcasm either.
Michael: I think people forget just how important vocal inflection and body language is. Too much of communication.and those things just don't translate to the written (typed) word.
Mb: Question maybe, are we going to loose the skill of communication because of the 2D world?
Michael: I don't think so.
Michael: I mean like it or not, physical contact -face to face interaction - is still the preferred method for meetings. Yeah, we have email and cellphones and page-me-call-me-leave-me-a-message, but when you come down to it, I think being able to look someone in the eye and shake their hand...THAT is communicating effectively.
Mb: So in writing, what would you like to leave us with?
Michael: The bill? Well, I'd like to say, thanks for listening to me blab endlessly and next time I'm in Canuckland, beer's on you, and for everyone else, if you find yourself in the NYC area, drop by and buy me a drink!