PASSION WON’T LET YOU QUIT – Damian Carbenell

PASSION WONT LET YOU QUIT.

If you have a passion for something, you get a 50 dollar guitar at a pawn shop, whatever it takes.

Damian Carbenell

PASSIONATE:
having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling; fervid: a passionate advocate of socialism. an outburst of strong emotion or feeling:  expressing, showing, or marked by intense or strong feeling; emotional: passionate language.

Wikipedia

Passion, passionate – these words define Damian Carbenell, the man and his music.

Damian Carbenell is a young man who has been passionate about his song, his music, his life since before he can remember.  At the ripe age of, well, forever, it was his uncle, who was in an 80’s hair band, who was fun, childish in nature, big into music, who introduced Damian to what has become his way of life.

Damian doesn’t remember a time when he wasn’t singing. He was beating on pots and pans by 5. When he was in the 1st grade he entered a school talent show. He was the youngest one there, and second to last to perform.  With his grandfather playing guitar, Damian sang “Let there be peace on Earth“. He sang to a packed audience, but when he was finished there was not a sound made.  At first he thought no one liked it, he couldn’t understand why everyone was so quiet.  He didn’t understand that at the time we were at war (Desert Storm) and there were tears in the eyes of his audience.  Damian had chosen THAT song because it was a song he sang in church.  It was THAT night; he said he felt that the fates came together.  THAT night was the night the fire was lit…..his passion….his direction.

By the 4th grade, in a red leather jacket with zippers all over, penny loafers, and black pants he sang his heart out to MJ’s “Beat It” choreographed with his 3 back up dancers…his music was evolving.

Damian would play with other people’s instruments until about the age for 14 when he got his first guitar.  He had ONE lesson on the piano, in kindergarten, well almost a lesson. In the time it took his teacher to show other kids what notes were he had already put them together and was playing “When the Saints Go Marching In”, by ear.  The only formal training Damian has received came in the 4th and 5th grade on the violin, when in the 5th grade, they moved and there were no violin instructors available.  Damian now plays the guitar, drums, bass, harmonica, hammer dulcimer and also (he says due to his Irish, Scots heritage) the bagpipes.

Damian first came to SL in Dec of 2006.  He found it quite boring…until, of course, he learned he could “sing’ in SecondLife and has been doing so for three years come this spring. Damian is passionate about his “Roadies” aka “Carbenell  Roadies”.  Last year for Christmas he threw a huge Christmas party for them, even triple streamed with two of his favorite SL artists, Karter Stonecutter and Maximillion Kleene (whom he has met in real life).  He gives his CDs away at his shows (yes GIVES them away). Just click on the little place where it says to get my CD free.

When you go to a Damian concert one of the first things you hear is a contagious giggle come at you over the airwaves and then the voice of an angel…and you know you’re going to have fun.  The smile starts..then the giggle starts…..then outright laughter and that’s just Damian. Half way through the concert you feel like you are with old friends remembering good times.  THAT is what a Damian Carbenell concert is all about.  Family and Friends.

Damian will wow you with his original songs like “Come Inside”, a lyrical tune of how to make love, and “Dammit I Love You”, a jauntilly happy tune of a man in love. Songs that can reach down into a womans inner being and make the men hope they are the standing next to her when it happens. He has a way of  making  songs like “3 AM” and “Grenade” his own.   When you leave a Damian concert, you will leave wanting more. (So just click on that free CD)

He still has his first guitar, which has since been retired. The neck broke last year…and he cried.  He still has that guitar though…he crazy glued it back together.  It’s his ‘baby’.  When he told me about that little boy some 20 years earlier, it was with tears in his voice and in my eyes. Damian doesn’t remember a lot about that night from memory but has watched the video many times.  When he talks about his Roadies, it is with excitement and pride. When he speaks of his mom and family it is with passion and pride.

Damian’s other passions include charities.  He LOVES doing benefits for charities such as AIDS, RFL, BreastCancerAwareness, FEMA, Toys for Tots. He even did one for Australian Flood Relief this past year, as well.  BUT his favorite charity is TOMS Shoes. TOMS motto=ONE FOR ONE – A pair of new shoes is given to a child in need for every pair purchased.  TOMS also has a “One Day Without Shoes” day on April 5th.  Check out some of Damians charities and see if there isn’t one that you might be interested in also.

Damian is also a gifted photographer, both in and out of SL.    He has done such photographs as this Stella Silvansky photo.  You can check out  Damians photography business in his profile.

I asked Damain where he goes from here…and his answer was quite surprising.  He has no ambitions of going on the road and being away from home for days on end or being famous.  He is ready to get a “real job”.  He is ready to settle down and raise a family.  He is ready to move on to the next phase of his life. A wife and kids, and to Damian that means being home at night.  He will always have music in his life, but as he put it, he has lived his dream of being able to play his music and sing for the past 20+ years.  Damian will always have music in his world, and as long as there is an SL he will continue to play there.  And we, his fans, will continue to go to his concerts (and click on that free CD).

I also asked Damian whatm if anything, he wants people to get from this interview.  Not surprisingly, if you know Damian at all, he wants his fans to know that he gives 100% of himself and that he is “keeping it real” when he is on stage.  He is “just being himself, you can take him for what he is, or leave him alone.”  Damian tries to make the difference between a show and a concert.  He draws the crowd in to the point of it feeling like a “jam session”.

In closing, I just want to say, there are so many aspects to Damian Carbenell, that I am afraid I didn’t cover them as well as I would have liked to in the space blogging allows you.  I have every confidence that Damian will apply all the passion in him to the next aspects of his life, that he has applied to his music.  Be you family or friend, to be in Damian’s inner circle of Roadies, you cannot help but feel his energy and his love of life and family.  He credits his mother for all he is and all he will become in the future.  I would like to thank Damian for that rum & coke and chat we had one night, and for allowing me to share it with, you, the reader.

If you would like to book Damian for a concert or to join his Carbenell Roadies group contact his manager, Nikki Mathieson. Nikki also informed me that on opening day of “The Home and Garden Expo” in May, Damian along with Max Kleene, Stella Silvansky, Beth Odets, and possibly Raspbury Rearwin, will be streaming multiple streams TOGETHER. I will have more on that as it comes closer to the actual event.

I will end with one of Damians favorite quotes, “Dont spend your life counting every breath you take.  Spend it counting the times someone took your breath away. “

Till next time,

Jez

To catch one of Damians Concert his Schedule is as follows:

Feb. 24 Boom Pony 5 PM (Mardi Gras Party): BS’s Bring a Friend 7 PM

Feb 25 Mango Theater 4 PM: Sweet Whispers 6 PM

Feb 26 Clocktower Amphitheater 4 PM: Key West 6 PM

Feb 27 Bubbles 12 PM: Sweet Whispers 6 PM

Feb 28 The Breeze 3 PM

Mar 3  BS’s Bring a Friend 7 PM

Mar 4 Spot On 3D 5 PM: Under the Willows 7 PM

Mar 5 Hobo Juke Joint 2 PM: Spaceport 4 PM