Live Chat With Dave Adams
February 28, 2001 at the Whirlitzer Chatroom
This is a transcript of a live chat. It is unabridged, so everything is included. The only changes which have been made are to correct the very obvious typos made during fast typing. No other liberties were made, and nothing was cut. Only the text in italics did not appear on the chat screen.
LadyMustapha: This is a test
LadyMustapha: This is also another test which I am performing at this time
LadyMustapha: Hopefully, this should be less confusing in the long run than the other way around
LadyMustapha: .
Magnifico: Anyone here?
Dav555: Hello - this is Mojo
Magnifico: Greetings!
Dav555: It took awhile to get registered
LadyMustapha: Hello
Magnifico: I think you and are all that are here
Magnifico: ahh the good Mustapha is here too
Dav555: Well, I'm patient
LadyMustapha: I may be in and out, I'm having trouble with my connection tonight, but I'm here.
Dav555: Hello, Lady Mustapha
LadyMustapha: Hello, Mojo, welcome back. Sorry you had trouble signing in, but I think this chatroom may be better in the long run...
Magnifico: Dave, pardon me if someone asked this last time you visited, but what keeps you busy in rl when not painting and doing ZBS stuff?
Dav555: The words are hopping lines
Dav555: Okay, I work at a small school
LadyMustapha: Hhmmmmm......maybe we'd better go to the other chatroom??
Dav555: I run the after school program
Dav555: No, it's okay now
Magnifico: in Philadelphia?
Dav555: Yes, in the Mt Airy section
Magnifico: Do you teach or do admin type stuff?
Dav555: Both. I sub at times and I have an elective on cartooning
Magnifico: I think I read somewhere that you've occasionally done some art for ZBS?
Dav555: Yes, the cover for Mumbo Jumbo and some paintings for Tom
Magnifico: You also starred in Mumbo Jumbo, too right?
Dav555: Yep. I was Papa La Bas
Magnifico: it is too bad that ZBS doesnt' have the rights for that story, I loved it when I heard it
LadyMustapha: I haven't had the chance to hear it yet
Dav555: It was fun doing it with the Fritz
Magnifico: Did you work with Ishmael Reed in the production for Mumbo Jumbo, or did someone bring it to ZBS's attention, or?
Dav555: Someone brought it to Tom's attention as far as I know
Magnifico: Did you know Tom when 4th tower was being produced?
Dav555: Yes, I knew Tom before ZBS was born
Magnifico: wow
Dav555: He is an excellent friend
Magnifico: He has written that Mojo is pretty much based off of you and reading the previous chat log, it would seem that would be fair to say
Magnifico: How'd you two meet up?
Dav555: I met him here in Philly when he was doing radio shows
Dav555: Mojo is me
Magnifico: So I'm guessing some of the women Mojo refers to when talking with Jack are based on some of the women you've known?
Magnifico: ahh, you go by Mojo sometimes then?
Dav555: Only 1
Dav555: Some of my friends call me mojo
LadyMustapha: Ah, that's ever so much better! My computer's behaving itself!
Magnifico: Have you done as much physical traveling as in the stories, like having been to Morocco or Rio?
Dav555: No, I've never been outside the USA. I was a paratroop though
Dav555: I've leaped from 3,000 ft
Magnifico: Army?
Dav555: 101st Airborne
Magnifico: That could explain why you always seem so unphased by things, while Jack is always flustered (for lack of a better word).
Magnifico: but then, that would only be part of it
Dav555: Yeeahhh.:-)
Dav555: It depends on what I have to say
Magnifico: did your interest in voodoo come from childhood, or something you grew interested as an adult?
Magnifico: what you have to say, like the scripts or ?
Dav555: I became interested when I was a teen ager
Dav555: Yes, sometimes the script calls for different reactions
Magnifico: ahh right...
Dav555: Voodoo is only a part of life's mysteries
Magnifico: true
Dav555: The essence of Voodoo is like yoga
Magnifico: meditative?
Dav555: Raising the chakras
Magnifico: would you explain more?
Magnifico: what you have to s
Magnifico: chakras are the energy points in the body?
Dav555: Yes, try being aware of your entire spine and the point at the top of your head
Dav555: In time the chakras will open
Magnifico: this allows for the body and mind to reset, so to speak?
Dav555: Yes, there is an unmistakable physical sensation
Magnifico: can you compare it to anything?
Dav555: Not really, the closest is like a mild hum
Dav555: But a silent hum
Magnifico: so do you raise your chakras before painting for example?
Magnifico: to get focusing on what you want to project?
Dav555: The projecting is more mind and vision than physical
borak: hi folks
Magnifico: would then your painting be documenting what your mind sees?
Magnifico: Greetings
borak: dave, I enjoyed seeing your artwork in the astralwilderness site.
Dav555: The paintings do reflect what is seen on the surface
Dav555: Thanks, Borak
borak: it was easy to tell which were your paintings-you paintlike our voice!
Dav555: Hah, hah, that's nice.
borak: YOUR voice!
Dav555: I understand.
borak: do you find it rewarding to teach art to prisoners?
Magnifico: yes, I selected your link for paintings too as if by instinct
Dav555: I'm doing more of them now
Dav555: Teaching art to anyone is rewarding - but to prisoners, it is a two way lesson
Dav555: I learn what can be accomplished with solitude
borak: sounds like a very worthwhile endeavor; do you find the students receptive? and what do you take away from the experience?
Dav555: The students are surprised when I bring out their talent
Dav555: I love seeing their faces when the see their completed works
Magnifico: did you begin painting and illustrating when you were a teenager too?
Dav555: Yes, I started drawing when I was 7
Dav555: The painting and illustrating came with college
Magnifico: what college did you go to?
Dav555: The philadelphia College of Art
Dav555: 1956 - 1960
Magnifico: this is sort of a deeper question that really can come across, but here goes: in what ways has your art changed since college?
Dav555: I've learned to paint and I can almost create exactly what's in my mind
borak: You've been playing Mojo for a couple of decades now--has the part influenced you, or did you influence the character? Or both?
Dav555: More like both, because Tom sets the stage of action and I have to tell myself how to respond
borak: have you ever painted Mojo?
Magnifico: which would be pretty much a self-portrait?
Dav555: No, but a friend of mine did a portrait of me
Dav555: While I sat, I visualized myself as Mojo
borak: oh crikey, there's my ride--I have to go! Dave, I hope you'll come back here again, I'd love to talk to you more! thanks for your time and work!
Dav555: I'll be back Borak
Magnifico: You said earlier tonight that you are Mojo, this is pretty similar to what Robert said about being Jack
LadyMustapha: I don't want to startle anyone too much, but I've changed the settings on the chatroom (mid-chat, I know, it's a bit rude, but it was important). I don't know when they'll kick in
borak: great! bye!
Magnifico: That Jack is always there, and just starts becoming him more or less
LadyMustapha: I'm trying to get rid of the wallpaper, it seems to be causing some problems
Magnifico: oh LM, I didn't think you were still here, you've been so quiet
Dav555: Jack is a very interesting guy.
Magnifico: the character or Robert or both
LadyMustapha: Yeah, I've been here the whole time. I just can't get my computer to behave well enough for me to participate much
Dav555: I call him Jack because to me, he is Jack
Magnifico: unlike many characters, from what I've heard and read in these chats it would seem that you, Jack, and Casbah Kelly are all almost indistinguishable aspects of the person portraying
Magnifico: grin, sometimes when I'm listening I feel like I'm eavesdropping
Dav555: I think Tom has a special way of finding the right person for the character
Magnifico: or overhearing you two in a restaurant
Dav555: I've met most of them and they just fit
Magnifico: even with Laura's sort of split with being Ruby and the Madonna Vampyra?
Dav555: You've got to meet her - she's both
Dav555: All of your personalities are aspects of only you
Magnifico: the character sort of highlights one dominant aspect?
Dav555: Yes. It can depend on the situation or the need
Magnifico: whether it be mojo or a giant potted African violet...
Dav555: Oh, yeah. umgawa
LadyMustapha: Well, the wallpaper's disappeared on my monitor - how about the rest of you?
Magnifico: yes
Magnifico: thanks!
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