This is me and my band, "DJ Mav and The Warriors". We're a mix of rap, hip-hop, soul and rock and have been playing lots of shows recently and have more booked in the future. It feels damn good to be out doing this after taking a four year hiatus from live shows. I never would have pictured myself in a band like this, but that's life for you. You never know what's going to happen next and who you're going to connect with!

These videos were taken at our last gig, where we headlined a hip-hop festival/exhibition at Suffolk University in Boston. For those of you who haven't met me and/or haven't seen any pics of me, I am the bald dude rockin' the guitar on the right side of the videos.

"Skywalkin'": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e09-cXOwq18

"What I Gotta Do": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4AUf4g6IPM

EDIT: Here's another video from a show we played two weeks ago where you can hear my guitar much better and get to see me shred a little solo at the end of the song.

"Right Here": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL0t2-ZiLWo

Some people have been asking what's been good with me, so I wanted to share in case anyone that I haven't talked to recently from STC was interested. The band has been a huge part of my life as of late, and I'm also preparing for a gourmet raw (vegan) chef certification internship that will be wrapping up right before Christmas; I am planning on getting a job as a chef at a restaurant that serves raw and organic vegan food. For part-time work on the side I am providing tutoring and guitar lessons, and I am also a karaoke host. That said, I know I haven't been present here and have been staying away from the forums as of late (and will continue to do so) but if anyone wants to chat or drop a line feel free to shoot me a personal email. Namaste, yo!

Cool footage!  Great to see you're still being productive; partaking in a band, participating in live shows, serving as a karaoke host -- it definitely sounds like a cool bit of fun.  ^_^

Zane, a question of genuine curiosity for ya.  With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up (and assuming you celebrate), what types of dishes do you have planned?  Dinner will be spent at my place this year, and I've got a group of friends who are vegans.  I'm looking into the appropriate accommodations, but in truth, I'm having a tough time striking that balance between festive and tasty.  I was playing around with the idea of a praline sweet potato casserole, wild rice, and cranberry-apple relish ensemble.  For dessert, maybe a butternut squash pie?

I'm all open for suggestions, and hearing from an expert might prove to be mucho helpful.

Thanks, Angie! I posted another video this morning that I had on my hard drive that has more guitar in it. I'm really happy with how that one came out; good sound, high energy and a sweet solo!

Thanksgiving is going to be interesting this year, since it'll be my first raw Thanksgiving (I've been exclusively eating living foods - nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables - for almost four weeks now). I'm planning on making (all taken from here)...

Mock turkey (celery, green onion, parsley, almonds/pecans, avocado, sage)
Cranberry relish (fresh cranberries, dates, an orange [juiced], agave syrup)
Dill stuffing (sunflower seeds, dill, lemon juice, psyllium husk, onion, salt)
A delicious desert (probably date-based oatmeal cookies!)

If you're hosting vegans that aren't into the raw cuisine, your best bet is to check out VegWeb. Here's their Thanksgiving recipe section. Another pretty decent site is FatFreeVegan, which tends to have more healthful ingredients, but you might have to dig around a bit.

Also, I'd definitely ask everyone if they have any preferences before making meals and desserts; some vegans don't eat honey, some people prefer not to eat gluten, etc. Your meal ideas sound great, though! Happy (un)cooking!

Cool. Thanks for the update. The vegan cooking qualification is a very nice surprise! It's also great to hear some samples of the band and I enjoyed the hybridised style you've got. Seem like a talented and interesting group of people!

Sounds good. For Christmas, I usually help to make an amazing nut roast with cranberry parts and pastry decorations. Might try your recipe this time round.

Those sites look to have some great recipes.  Thanks for the heads-up, Zane!

Good luck on your own meal.  Date-based oatmeal cookies do sound like they could be off the hook.  ^_^

Wow!Your band has a good rhythm going on and I really like the "Right here" track.Also I always imagined you to look like Travis from No More Heroes, so very pleased, that is the case.

Best of luck with getting lots of gigs.