Day 30 of 40 – Thou shalt face your demons

Thou shalt face your demons is Rirou’s favorite punk rule, and in fact that was Rirou’s true essence of his coaching back in the days. That is what made him a good coach.

After Luke was born Rirou indeed wanted to share his coaching but Rirou is different, he likes to keep it real. Which can be a blessing and a curse at the same time. Rirou always said to his athlete before an ironman: “You will face all your demons during the race”, yes an odd thing to say, especially before a race like an ironman. However, that is the truth, an ironman is a race that can take from 8 to 17 hours, and that leaves you 8 to 17 hours with just you and your thoughts. So, by all means you will face your demons.

Every time Rirou have one of those WTF moments in therapy he says “oh shit, that is so fucked up” and they laugh. If you ever been to therapy you know most therapist don’t laugh, but with Rirou was always different. He made made her laugh because he saw how ironic it was that he was trapped in him own matrix. Those ironies of life made him laugh, and that week Rirou had another WTF moment. He was getting ready to face his biggest demons.

The COVID-420, a 40 day full introspection was preparing him to face his biggest demons. Rirou had face many of his demons during his 18 ironmans, but not he was getting to the bottom on how he felt all this time.

The shit is deep, and the reality is you can’t run away otherwise the shit gets deeper. You have to face it. We all have our sets of demons, and the secret for happiness is to face them. That is the 4th punk rule!

Feel Good,

Rirou

May 16, 2020 0

Interview with Keeana Martinez

Full name: Keeana Martinez

Age: 23

Name of your band: Immigrant’s Child

How long have you been singing?

I have been singing since I was 15. I started out in a worship group at my church then I joined School of Rock Broomfield when it first opened and then I studied some Opera in college.

What is the style of music you guys play?

Alternative/Indie rock

What is the craziest thing that happened to you on stage? And off stage (music related)?

Back in 2016 we only had four band members. Three of us had gone to see one of our favorite bands, Highly Suspect, in concert. Mario (guitar), Josiah (bass), and I had been standing at the front watching the bassist and drummer solo. Halfway through the solo Johnny Stevens (the guitarist/vocalist of Highly Suspect) leans down to me and asks me my name and who I came with. Long story short, he gave us backstage tickets and later invited us to chill on the tour bus with him. At this time our band practices were more like jam sessions. We struggled to write songs and find motivation to continue pursuing music. While hanging out on the tour bus, we told Johnny that we were in a band and he talked to us for hours about music and how important it was that we pursue our dreams. After that night we started writing more, recording and performing and later added a drummer and recorded our first EP. It took a few years to get from there to where we are now, but it gave us the motivation we needed to move forward as a band.

Last year we played a house party and our drummer sliced his thumb on a cymbal before the end of the set. He didn’t notice it until the song was already over. We all looked back at him and when he got up after the song and just saw blood all over the cymbals and the drum heads. He still played through the rest of our set, we had all been drinking a bit so he didn’t feel much of the pain anyways.

Which artists influenced more of your work?

I guess that depends on who you ask. Each one of us has a different taste in music. We pull inspiration from bands/artists like Mac Miller, Black Pistol Fire, The Strokes, Ariana Grande, Grand Funk Railroad, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Rage against the Machine, Highly Suspect and more.

You only play original songs?

We try and do a cover every once in a while to help get the audience’s attention, but we focus on originals.

In your view what is the best part about being an artist?

For me, the best part is performing. I love getting ready, choosing outfits, planning setlists, setting up the stage and then standing in front of everyone and playing for an audience. Hearing them clap along or cheer along is a really good feeling.

What touches your soul?

I currently work as a vocal teacher at School of Rock and I love seeing the way music impacts the students lives. Every student, whether they are 7 or 63, goes through their own struggles and yet they come in with a good attitude and the motivation to carry on.

Give me, one example on how not to be an asshole?

Always think about how your actions might affect others around you. Stack your dishes at a restaurant to help the server, tip at least 20%, open the door for the person behind you, you never know how you might impact someone.

Best way to contact Immigrants Child

immigrantschildband@gmail.com

720.255.6253

Or message us on instagram @immigrants_child

May 6, 2020 0

Day 17 of 40 – Not today, Taz! Not today!

On march Sunday 29th Rirou woke and he knew the story had to be told, but not today. Today is Sunday, it was church day…

And Rirou didn’t feel like it… I hate to say I told you so, but Rirou is a punk, and he does what he wants. Yes, the story needs to be told, but not today Taz, not today!

Feel Good,

Rirou

May 3, 2020 0

Day 16 of 40 – Paving the highway to hell

Rirou woke up that Saturday March 28^th went to do his coffee completely naked. He waited quietly, got a cup sat down and started to talk to his wife. Well, he probably talked to her before, but his brain only kicks in after the coffee. He was not really sure about how he felt, but he knew this time was different.

Rirou learned like many not to show how they felt, after all he was told that boys didn’t cry. He even jokes with Luke’s teachers that going to preschool with Luke was helping him learn about his feelings. Well, is true he was learning a lot. Going to preschool and therapy Rirou was finding out why certain things were dragging him down and how he felt. He always believed that life is how you feel, but everything else said the contrary. So, Rirou decided to walk in contradiction.

Back in 2015 the therapist asked Rirou what he really wanted, and without hesitation he said: “I want to change the world”, that was another life metaphor, because Rirou wanted to change his world. He is crazy but not that crazy to think he could change the world. He just wanted to explore a different side of him, and life coaching was not it.

Rirou created a Religion to talk about life, initially thinking about life coaching. However, Rirou knew that he was the opposite of most life coaches there, and that was not really him. Rirou finally changed his world, and he was finally paving his highway to hell. It was time to leave his mark…

Rirou’s favorite song of all times!

Feel Good,

Rirou

May 2, 2020 0

Day 9 of 40 – Ditching the pajamas

Saturday march 21th, Rirou woke up that day like just like another Saturday, he woke up slow. Well, now without school he was waking slow everyday. After all is has been 9 days of officially quarantine, but Rirou and his family were in quarantine for 16 days already. It has been 16 days in pajamas pretty much.

During the COVID-19 quarantine it became a normal thing to people go live on social media, talking about many different topics. Some lives, were awesome, other not so much. Rirou was not really into this but sometimes it was fun. After all, Rirou was getting some social media distancing and it was helping him.

Rirou went to watch a live, normally he did not participate, he just watched and for some reason he decided to ask a question. It was live about spirituality, energy and mind; something that Rirou loves. So, Rirou asked the question and due to his username the response was the same old story, a simple: “You got to be careful with Rock”, meaning the Rock (punk. metal etc) was a bad vibe. But for the first time in 40 years he did not get mad, in fact he laugh and thought the bullshit is everywhere.

Rirou finished the live, and he could not understand why people say that Rock is bad vibe? If spirituality is about inner peace and Rock gave Rirou inner peace, how could be bad? After all if it wasn’t for Rock Rirou would not even be there watching that live. Rirou have had suicidal thoughts in the past and Rock was the only thing that have helped him. Rock made him and his family happy.

That day Rirou reacted differently, like a rebirth from the matrix the red pill was working. Rirou was not angry anymore, and he took that as a sign. A sign that it was time to share the story and continue his plot, after all Rirou belived in being the change you wish to in the world. Rirou made huge progress in looking good naked, but that live made him no longer afraid… it was time to ditch the pajamas.

Feel Good,

Rirou

April 25, 2020 0