“Not all those who wander are lost.”-J.R.R. Tolken

I’ve been wandering now for more than 7 years. As day three of our South American journey is coming to an end, the light of the snow-capped Andes andinto our window is being replaced by the yellow glow of the fire. It’sbecoming clear as I get older that my life’s journey has just begun. As timepasses, life has a way of mellowing you out. I think that’s why people get quieter as they age.

Traveling fast forwards maturity. I’m not saying I’m mature, I love being immature and having fun. But I’ve noticed that when I’m traveling I go through life-changing experiences every couple days. Staying in one place breeds a closed mind, a naïve nature, and a slow pace of maturity, at least for me. I’ve noticed that the times of growth in my life have involved massive amounts of moving around, touring and traveling. Likewise, my least productive times have been during months of staying put. This is exactly why I chose to make the 7,791 mile journey from L.A. to San Carlos deBariloche, in the Patagonia region of Argentina.

The Patagonia region of Argentina is one of the most harsh, frigid, remote climates in the world. Our village lies further south than the entire continent of Africa. Further south than Tasmania. Dubbed the “Switzerland of South America,” San Carlos de Bariloche is a quaint little town of less than 200,000 people known for its snowboarding. It’s a stopping point for budding boarders and touring professionals alike. For the rest of August and into September, I’ll be snowboarding, playing live performances, and of course, building the Greenhouse. Tomorrow we begin building. I’ll keep you posted. Blog three is coming, so stay put.

But not for long. Travel. Do it. Go.

-Marc

- Buen dia, this is the view from our kitchen at the SASS compound in Barlioche!

Can someone please tell me why the hell everyone doesn’t spend their entire lives traveling?

We have officially left the ground. As I write to you I exist 30,000 feet above sea level. I’m staring down at the western part of Arizona, headed to Atlanta, Georgia, then on to Buenos Aires, Argentina, and eventually to Bariloche. Our final destination lies more than 24 hours of buses, planes, trains, and taxis ahead of us.

Our goals for the trip are simple: Build Greenhouse. Play Music. Snowboard. I want to visit a new country, experience new cultures and people, while positively affecting the regions we visit. I think its important to realize the massive amounts of pollution, litter, and negative impact on the environment that travel has. We wanted to set an example of a way to live life to the fullest, without negatively affecting others’ ability to do so.

Our group consists of 9 humans, 5 of which are professional snowboarders, two musicians (including myself), a small camera crew, and a photographer. Snowboarder Chanelle Sladics came up with the plan to build a Greenhouse for agriculture in order for the local people of Bariloche, Argentina to sustain their crops over the winters, which are very harsh in the Patagonia region. We raised funds for the project, collected recycled plastic bottles, and received donations from passionate followers of our project, and I’m pleased to tell you that in 3 days we begin the construction of the greenhouse, made entirely out of recycled plastic bottles, wood, and bamboo.

You can keep updated on our trip right here. I’ll be posting a new blog every 3-4 days with photos/videos in real-time. Thanks to technology, you can join me on my adventure each step of the way. Stay tuned, its only the beginning.

-Marc

Recently I was approached to be part of an extraordinary project to help starving families in Argentina and this letter is going out to everyone I know.  This is the first of many blog entries I’ll be writing to keep you updated on my travels.

I was approached to be an integral part of a team of professional musicians, athletes, and artists to travel to a remote region of Argentina to help build a greenhouse out of recycled plastic bottles which when finished will provide a reliable source of food for the local families and their children. In addition we will be educating the people on proper agricultural methods, efficient farming techniques, and processes to maximize results. Around the world, 24,000 children a day die due to poverty, hunger, and disease related illnesses attributed to poor nutrition.

Our experiences will be documented and featured on FuelTV as well as a benefit ceremony upon our return in the hopes that we can fund more of these projects throughout the world. However, before I am able to do my part on the team I need to raise enough money for a flight to Argentina. Is there anything you can do to help us provide a greenhouse for these families and children?  We’re leaving this Tuesday!

Any donation is greatly appreciated and can be sent to the following address: 10879 El Mar Ave. Fountain Valley, CA 92708. I’ll pick up a dollar from your house if I need to (I live in Ventura and am willing to drive anywhere in CA) or use PayPal. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to message me, I can and will explain any and all angles of our mission. It’s going to be truly amazing.

Most sincerely yours,

-Marc B.

For more information on Marc’s travels and his music, visit
http://www.marcbmusic.com, or link up on facebook, at
http://www.facebook.com/marcbmusic

Continually inspired by life and the people that surround me, I once again found myself driving home all alone in my blue truck, with the past week’s images splashing across my brain.  Just seven days on the road, a festival in Huntington Beach, an art show in San Clemente, a couple late night 4 hour jams in Oceanside, a quick, fully sponsored trip to Mexico (thanks to Peligroso Tequila) with 15 of the best surfers, wakeboarders, snowboarders, motocrossers, and musicians in the world, a celebration and farewell of two amazing New Zealanders moving to Florida, and a dozen surf sessions spanning more than 600 miles of coastline from north of Santa Barbara, California to south of Rosarito, Mexico…and you’ve got a loose idea of what I’m seeing on this car ride home.

As I check Lowers for any sign of surf, here I am again, alone in my car.  Just the way I started out.  My bag of extra clothing, one surfboard, one guitar.  One my way home though, my car is filled to the brim with memories of people and places I know I’ll never forget.

It’s easy to let life lass you by.  So much energy coming and going, ebbing and flowing…  How are we supposed to grasp it, comprehend it, channel it?  So many human relationships, which I’ve realized are the core of why we exist.  How can we take our memories with us?  My memories and accounts of what happens in my life comes out in the form of song.  My music and my life inter-are.  My life is my music, and my music is my life.  So this June and July will see more music creation than ever, thanks to my new and old friends.

I wonder what part of the world I will see my new and old friends next…

Tomorrow, April 24th, Marc B will be taking part in 3rd Annual Pangaea Fest 2010 in Santa Barbara, CA at the SBCC La Playa Stadium. For those of you who don’t know what the Pangaea Fest is all about, let me break it down:


The Pangaea Fest is put on by The Student’s Coalition, a student run organization that centers around empowering the youth and the community and getting them psyched to work together towards the common goal of alleviating human strife both locally and worldwide. They are putting on this Music & Arts festival with the theme “Get Global Minded” as the focus:





MUSIC
Justin Ratowsky and Sprout will kick off the festival which runs 1:00 - 9:00 PM

Marc will be taking the stage 5:30-6:30 PM, with Dominic Balli and the Roots Republic to follow!



EDUCATIONAL SPEAKERS:
There will be a talking area where speakers around the world will share their personal stories throughout the event:

Becky Tinsley: is a director of Waging Peace, an organization that campaigns against genocide and systematic human rights abuses. Formerly with the BBC, as a journalist and author she has traveled in Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, writing for publications such as the New Statesman, Times, Independent and Telegraph. She has stood twice for parliament and was national chair of the Union of Liberal Students. She is on the Human Rights Watch London committee, is a trustee of the Carter Centre UK and the Bosnian Support Fund, and is a founder and director of the Rwanda Girls School.

Nyuol Tong: is a former Southern Sudanese refugee. He shares his story and his vision that education is the only way Southern Sudan can be liberated from the legacy of war with communities, churches, schools and universities throughout the United States.

Invisible Children: A non-profit seeking to bring to justice a man named Joseph Kony who is terrorizing 5 countries in Africa, by abducting children from their homes to be his soldiers and create war among the community. They use the power of media to inspire young people to help end the longest running war in Africa.

Charlie C. Lakony: Ugandan emigre. He will be discussing the slow genocide and its impact in northern Uganda and how it has resonance throughout Africa and certain parts of the world, as well as discussing the political situation in Uganda now.

Milochka Tshibingu: She is the P.R.O for student senate. She will be talking about South Africa and why it is the way that it is by going back into its history, especially the Apartheid.

These are going to be some amazing speakers and you won’t want to miss what they are going to say, so be sure to check them out in addition to the music!!

Additionally there will be a KID’s TENT where children can make pencil boxes that will be sent to kids their own age in Africa, a fair trade MARKETPLACE featuring socially responsible vendors, and various EDUCATIONAL BOOTHS from local and international non-profits and student clubs sharing info about how we can join together to create change in the world.

Bring a picnic lunch/dinner and enjoy this awesome event by the sea!

$5 at the door, and Kids under 12 get in FREE so bring any youngin’s you know!

RSVP for this event HERE!!

For more info, check out www.pangaeafest2010.org!!

Hey guys we’re putting together a video for Marc B’s song “The Right Way” and we want your help to make it!

You can listen to the track and check out the lyrics and some insight on the song here. We’re looking for photos inspired by the song, mellow tones and earthy vibes, maybe some cool ocean pics and surfing stuff. The Right Way is a bit of a sunset song, so sunsets are welcome, and anything birds, boards, and beaches. If you have any doubts about what to submit, listen to the song and post what it makes you think of! Also if you have any pics of Marc or the band from live shows, any pics of the guys surfing, or of you and them, we want you to be a part of it so show us what you’ve got!

You can post submissions on the Marc B Music Facebook wall, or email them to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). This will be a fun project for everyone; so don’t hesitate to get involved! If you have any friends whose photography fits the bill tell them too.

We’re accepting submissions from 4/20 – 5/10

Hey Marc B fans! Big ups to the band for making their way into the 2010 OC Music Awards Showcase Series Finals! There are five other finalists in the live acoustic category, and Marc, Maxx, and Yoni will be competing for the title on 2/26 at the Yost Theatre in Santa Ana, CA. The Winner of the Showcase Series will perform at the Grove in Anaheim for the Awards on March 6th, receive a $2,500 voucher from Fender, and a four-day recording session at Red Bull Studios.

This is a great opportunity for the band, so if you’re in the OC area come out to show your support! The Showcase finals are all free. Here’s the performance schedule, Marc B is performing at 10 p.m.

2/26, 7:30pm - Yost Theater, Santa Ana - (Live Acoustic Finals, FREE, All Ages)
Join the Facebook Event

I Hate You Just Kidding (8pm)
Billy Kernkamp (8:40pm)
Stacy Clark (9:20pm)
Marc B (10pm)
Mike Vitale (10:40pm)

We want to see you all there!

Your friends,
Oniric Records

Marc B. has joined the ranks of artists and athletes like Andy Irons, Kelly Slater, and Jack Johnson among others to become an official SurfAid Ambassador.  SurfAid does great work- they are a nonprofit that helps to improve the health, well-being and the self-reliance of people living in isolated regions connected to us through surfing. 

Check out their programs and help the cause!

With a look straight out of Endless Summer and his mellow feel-good vibe, Marc B may just be the next big thing to come from the southern California music scene.  The Orange County native combines a love of the nature, surfing and music to create songs with an environmental message.

Check out the whole feature by clicking here or on the image below.

The Daily Titan of Cal State Fullerton, reviews each song on The Yellow Jelly EP as well as provides a bit of background information in regards to Marc’s musical influences and increasing popularity. To get the full article please visit the Daily Titan’s website at DailyTitan.com.

The Yellow Jelly EP is now available for purchase on iTunes and Amazon, follow the links to pick up your copy today. For more info about Marc B. and his upcoming shows please visit the new MarcBmusic.com.

“It was a lazy springtime Friday afternoon in Santa Barbara when we recorded Marc B. The sun was low in the perfect sky as friends gathered in the living room of my home nestled between the southern California ocean and the chaparral mountains. Marc and I chatted casually while I arranged the microphones and set input levels. Similar easy conversations were had amongst the visitors while beer and wine sips bid the ending week goodbye and welcomed the ensuing weekend’s respite. One would be hard pressed to find a care in the room - not even Marc seemed to have a nerve in his soul as he sat poised at the center of the room surrounded by audio and video recording equipment. The entire setting was idyllically Santa Barbara and created a fitting venue to capture Marc B’s mellow acoustic surf rock sounds.

We perhaps took a little longer than usual that evening to get the session started - there was no rush. Eventually, though, after double and triple checking the mic placements and the levels, I settled down behind my computer and gave Marc the cue. The room quieted as bodies shuffled onto chairs and couches and Marc commenced his performance. He began with a song called “The River” - the opening track to The Yellow Jelly EP and a tune featured in pro surfer Kelly Slater’s 9th World Title video on Wetsand.com. It describes the experience of moving into a new home situated near a river. The third song of the set, called “Comin’ Up,” describes his observations of buildings and houses incessantly sprouting up around the land of Southern California. Marc rounded out his set with a tune called “The Right Way” which tells about ending the day the right way - with a solid surf session.

Marc B grew up around waves and music. He was surfing the ocean at Newport Beach as a youngster and began writing songs at age 12, pulling inspiration from his father and grandfather who passed the genealogical music bug onto his young mind. Currently living in Huntington Beach, Marc B pulls influence from such names as Jack Johnson, Donovan Frankenreiter, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Matt Costa, Brett Dennen, Ben Harper, and Mason Jennings - pioneers who have defined a generation of easy listening, California music. Marc B is carving his own niche in this scene: he was recently named as a nominee for the Best Surf Artist at the Orange Country Music Awards and, in June 2010, his first full-length album and music video will be released.” -Ryan Anderson of One Night Music

See the rest of the videos and download the tracks for free here.

The OC Music Awards briefly interviewed Marc and four other artists about the music scene in Orange County. To read the full interview click here.

Don’t miss a FREE Marc B. concert at the OCMA’s Best Live Acoustic Showcase on January 26th in Santa Ana, California! For show and ticket info visit Marc’s Facebook Page.

FIVE QUESTIONS FOR FIVE MUSICIANS/BANDS IN JANUARY’S BEST ACOUSTIC BAND SHOWCASE

1) What is so unique about Orange County’s music scene?

Marc B. (singer-songwriter):
“It’s just a great place to make all kinds of music, since our area is not defined by any one genre as say, Nashville is with country music. Orange County is everything; a thriving hip-hop, rock, electronic, acoustic, country, and everything-in-between scene. We’ve seen resurgence in Orange County from all different ends of the musical spectrum. The people of OC are close enough to LA to be affected by what’s going on there, but we’re not encapsulated in any bubble. There are so many avenues to take your music in OC.”

2) What are some current OC bands/musicians that you see live quite often?

Marc B. (singer-songwriter):
“When I’m in town I can always count on a killer local show from The Simpkin Project, Matt Costa and Trevor Hall.”

3) What can we expect from you or the band next year?

Marc B. (singer-songwriter):
“New music coming out (February) on the Wailer’s compilation album. We’re launching the debut full-length (June) with Oniric Records and probably a national tour (summer) to go with it. A music video (July) will come with that. We’re also going to Costa Rica, Hawaii and all over California through Spring. We’re keeping busy and loving what we do.”

4) One random fact about you or the band:

Marc B. (singer-songwriter):
“My favorite animals are elephants and sea turtles, both for very important reasons.”

5) Why is the OC Music Awards important to our music community?

Marc B. (singer-songwriter):
“This event brings together everyone who loves music and has anything to do with our scene. I mean we’re all out there doing our thing, whether it’s making music, web design, photography, management, venue ownership, whatever…it brings us all together under one roof for a night, which is the best thing and the only thing that will push us forward as a unit. The OC Music Awards is a huge reason why an ‘OC Music Scene’ even exists. Without awards shows like this, there’d be no unity.”

excuse me, mr.  but we’ve got some live performances going on.  now, true, we’ll be spending most of our time in the studio this winter, but we are still playing a few shows around California, and here they are:

Jan 22nd, 2010 10:00P
***ENVT MOVT***
Isla Vista Santa Barbara, California
note: this is a private party.  location will be announced one week prior to the event.

Jan 26th, 2010 8:30P
OC Music Awards “Best Live Acoustic”
@ Gypsy Den
Santa Ana, California
note: if you’re coming to one show this winter, cruise to this one!  it’s a competition for best live acoustic band in Orange County.  come support the first round!

Mar 6th, 2010 8:00P
OC Music Awards
@ The Grove
Anaheim, California
note:

For booking inquiries, please contact——> .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

today’s photo:
Incredible sunset a few days ago in Huntington Beach, California. shot from my phone.

thanks you guys, for reading this bulletin,

-marc

Become a fan, and invite others: http://www.facebook.com/marcbmusic

Marc B and Atwater did a little in store promo for Wahoos about a month or so ago with signed Marc pictures spread out among the southern California Wahoo’s wherever there is a blank spot on the wall and for those of you that have never had the pleasure of visiting a Wahoo’s you should know that space on those walls is hard to come by. The shots below are from the Wahoo’s on 2nd St. in Long Beach. Atwater will keep posting on their website shots from new locations as they get them in.

The finished product ready to go spread joy throughout Southern California

Marc doing his first autograph signing

These little jewels are everywhere

Some pics of Marc in Hawaii this past December. This trip seemed to have involved a lot of eating

I recently got to catch up with the new addition to Marc B Music, bassist Yoni Berk, and ask him a couple of questions in order to introduce him.  We met Yoni while he was playing with another band that Marc had played with a couple times in Santa Barbara, and we are thrilled to say that we were able to acquire Yoni after his former band took a permanent hiatus.

His addition to Marc’s music thus far has been great, as his first time playing with Marc and Maxx (percussion) was in the studio for Marc’s upcoming track Mr. American, which was recorded for Solutions for Dreamers : Season 3 (coming Spring 2010!).  We pretty much knew from the collaboration at the studio that Marc, Maxx, and Yoni were born to play together, and Yoni bass playing at the live shows has really added a new element to Marc’s live sound, which we are all stoked on.

We have some video coming soon of the new band playing together, but for now..

Oniric Records: Who the eff are you?
Yoni Berk: I was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area to two Rabbis, and I moved to Santa Barbara to play music, philosophize on life, and teach.

What do you always have with you in your pocket? 
David Alper’s dredlock.

How long have you and Marc been playing together?
We started playing together in November, but it feels like forever.

Most Life-Changing Music Moment? 
Listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco for the first time. I lied down in my bathtub fully clothed, no water, and put on headphones. Try this remedy. What Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett were able to accomplish with this work will forever stay with me. I also recommend doing this with any Gomez or Animal Collective album.

What are you listening to these days? 
Well the list goes on and on. I’ve been trying to collect a lot of Israeli, African, and South American 1960’s pop/surf rock. Its been a blast so far being inspired by these genres.

Bands I’m stoked on right now: 
Dr. Dog, Menomena (and their sideprojects), Serge Gainsbourg, Erykah Badu, The Books, John Vanderslice, Girls, Dirty Projectors...
So you don’t exactly look like a surfer, more like a yogi.  Explain? 
Well that’s because I haven’t surfed… yet! I’ll be hitting the waters of Santa Barbara in 2010 so I can start hitting up the waves we pass along our tour this upcoming year! I currently teach yoga in Santa Barbara and have been doing so for almost 3 years now. Yoga and music have become my calling over the last few years and I have never looked back. I enjoy finding ways to incorporate the two together. I get really into creating music playlists on my ipod for my yoga classes and I always play guitar, ukulele, or the harmonium while my students are in savasana (corpse pose). 
 

Ok, back to music.  What gear do you play on stage? 
SDGR by Ibanez. A beautiful pearl white bass that sends me soaring.
 
I use a big ol’ Trace Elliott amplifier.
 
Soon I’m sure I’ll start bringing my Kamoa uke and Bina harmonium onstage as well.
 
What’s your favorite song to play at a gig?
“Summertime Flows”—That song is funky! It’s a kick to play and we rock out hard.  You’ll hear it on the new album [Coming Summer 2010!].
 
Favorite show you’ve played?
By far, the show where we opened for Trevor Hall at the Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica. I have never experienced such an awesome crowd. The show was sold out, people were grooving, dancing, and chatting us up after the show.  The Trevor’s band are great guys. Can’t wait to play more shows with them!
 
There’s a rumor going around that in addition to bass, you play ukulele.  Is this true?
Yeah I play ukulele.  I only took 6 months of bass guitar lessons then just learned the rest from playing in bands. I then taught myself guitar which made it easy for me to learn ukulele. My next goal was to teach myself harmonium which will I’m sure segway into piano. I also have hopes of learning trumpet and violin in the near future.
 
Any plans in the near future for you and Marc B? 
Oh yeah.  New Marc B Music is released in February on the Wailers’ compilation album, Oniric Records throws us in the studio for our debut full-length album recording session starting in February. (I cannot wait to get into the studio.) We then hit up Costa Rica in March and back to Hawaii and through California in Spring.  Album is out in June, and hopefully a national tour this summer to go along with it, but I can’t say much about that.
 
Follow Yoni on Twitter or shoot him an email to get in touch.