Can you believe it? Five years! Five years since we launched GO BANG! Magazine, right in the thick of the pandemic, on April 1st, 2020. Five whole years of vibrant colors, groundbreaking interviews, and the kind of raw, unfiltered energy that only Go Bang! Magazine can deliver. I’m Pierre Andre’ Evans, your senior editor and the slightly sleep-deprived mastermind behind this beautiful chaos, and I’m here to celebrate with all of you, the heart and soul of GO BANG! Magazine.
When I first envisioned GO BANG!, it wasn’t just about creating another magazine. It was about building a community, a space where artists, thinkers, and dreamers could collide, ignite, and inspire. We wanted to shatter expectations, to push boundaries, and to give a platform to voices that deserved to be heard, voices that were often overlooked by the mainstream. And looking back, I can confidently say, we’ve done just that.
I remember sitting at my kitchen table, the world in lockdown, and feeling this burning need to connect, to celebrate the music that moves us, the culture that defines us – House music. Chicago’s own, and the world’s heartbeat. Back then, everything was uncertain. Clubs were closed, dance floors were empty, but the spirit of House, that was alive and well, pulsing through our screens, connecting us in ways we never imagined. And that’s what GO BANG! became: a digital dance floor, a space where we could come together, share stories, and keep the music playing.
I interviewed 30 different people. It was hands down, the best magazine debut ever! Looking back, it’s been an incredible journey. We’ve had the privilege of speaking with some of the most influential figures in House music, from the pioneers who laid the foundation to the rising stars shaping its future. Some interviews really struck a chord with you all, and I’m so glad.
And look at us now! We’ve interviewed rising stars before they exploded onto the scene, unearthed hidden gems from the underground, and challenged the status quo with thought-provoking features. We’ve seen artists blossom, movements ignite, and trends shift, all while staying true to our core mission: to deliver authentic, unapologetic content that resonates with you, our incredible readers. We’ve celebrated diversity in all its forms, championed creativity in every medium, and never shied away from the difficult conversations. Those stories, those voices, are what make GO BANG! Magazine so special.
And honestly, none of this would have been possible without you. Your unwavering support, your passionate feedback, your shared enthusiasm – it’s been the fuel that’s kept this engine running. Your comments, your letters, your social media shout-outs, they’ve all meant the world to us. You’ve challenged us to be better, to dig deeper, and to never settle for anything less than extraordinary. You’ve made GO BANG! Magazine a community, a living, breathing testament to the power of House music.
Starting a magazine during a pandemic was a risk, to say the least. But your unwavering support turned that risk into a reward. We’ve grown, we’ve evolved, and we’ve stayed true to our mission: to shine a light on the House music community, to celebrate its diversity, and to amplify its voices.
But enough reminiscing! Let’s talk about the future, shall we? Because trust me, the best is yet to come. We’re not slowing down; we’re just getting started.
In the coming years, you can expect:
Expanded digital content: We’re diving deeper into the digital realm with exclusive online features, interactive experiences, and even a few surprises we can’t quite reveal yet. Think immersive storytelling and behind-the-scenes access like never before. More live events: We’re bringing Go Bang! Magazine to life with pop-up events, workshops, and collaborations. Get ready to connect with your favorite artists and fellow readers in person. Even bolder storytelling: We’re pushing the boundaries of what a magazine can be. Expect more in-depth features, more daring visuals, and more unfiltered conversations.
We’re working on some incredible new features, expanding our reach, and exploring new ways to bring you the stories you love. We’re talking more in-depth artist profiles, exclusive mixes, and even some exciting collaborations. And a few secret projects that will blow your minds! (Seriously, you’re not going to want to miss these.)
We’re constantly evolving, constantly innovating, and constantly striving to deliver content that inspires, challenges, and entertains. We’re not just a magazine; we’re a movement. And we’re inviting you to be a part of it.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you for believing in GO BANG! Magazine. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. Your passion for House music inspires me every day. I’m so grateful for this community, and I can’t wait to see what the next five years bring.
So, here’s to five years of Go Bang! Magazine, and to many, many more. Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey. Stay tuned, because the best is yet to come…… GO BANG!!!!!!
Keep dancing, keep sharing, and keep the House vibes alive!
With boundless gratitude and a whole lot of love,
Pierre
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG!
Contrary to the stigma and misnomer surrounding Cabrini-Green, the area he grew up in what was simply known as Frances Cabrini, located on the near northside of Chicago and originally referred to as Little Italy. Before the red and white projects were built, the Row Houses as they were called, represented the total extent of Frances Cabrini housing development: Hudson, Cleveland, Mohawk, Cambridge, and Oak Street, cut off by an alley going west and Chicago Avenue going south.
In this close knitted area were Italians, Chinese and Puerto Ricans, some of every ethnic people except Arabic and African. Before we realized, that meant them too. This would quickly change by the early 60s, and soon it was just them. White flight was on the move.
At 11 years old, Vincent became a petty shoplifter and just before turning 12, he got arrested and released to his angry mother. Afterwards, he became a regular Audy Home juvenile delinquent. That same year Vincent and three others were sent to a place called St. Charles for Boys. They had cottages named after presidents and that was where they were assigned. None of them got to be in the same cottage. Of the four, Vincent would be last released after nine months. Vincent was seen as the leader.
Once in his 20s and 30s, he developed into an upscale burglar, thanks to an Italian friend of his. However, his heart was dedicated to the community. So he and a friend started a non-for-profit organization chartered in Springfield, Illinois that was designed to generate economic and social independence and unity. Long story short, they were betrayed and an attempt on his life was made.
Thanks to Vincent’s mother, many years ago, poetry became his main focus. May book one and two, speak for itself.
“Dive into the lyrical world of Chicago poet Vincent L. Johnson, where every word is a brushstroke on the canvas of your soul!” — Joaquin Mann, ARTiculation Radio.
Published with assistance from BePublished.org in October 2023, Chicago resident Vincent L. Johnson’s literary debut (W.H.A.T.: Wisdom Honors All Truth) is a handy book of quotations written over a period spanning nearly 50 years that gives readers nuggets of wisdom to help navigate various paths in life. An inspirational work that moves you to keep going and perform introspection, readers are motivated by sage advice and empowered by emanating love to push past all attempting to keep them stagnated and bound.
Vincent goes on to say, “I cannot express the overwhelming sense of joy and awe I am feeling right now. THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me over the years and have pushed me to release my poetry and quotations.”
He continues, “If you haven’t ordered your copy yet, you need to get your copy of my debut book — W.H.A.T. (Wisdom Honors All Truth) by Vincent L. Johnson — as soon as you can. It’s a collection of quotations that are poetic masterpieces from my heart that I hope will awaken your senses, touch your heart, and stir your imagination. I invite you to join me on this enchanting literary journey.”
So, what are you waiting for? Immerse yourself in his world of timeless verses and embark on a poetic adventure like no other.
GO BANG Magazine: What was your experience growing up in Cabrini-Green? What were the biggest challenges and opportunities you faced?
Vincent Johnson: It was a time when we as a community had a lot of respect and we were very considerate of one another. We occasionally had good fun with drinks, laughter, dancing, and just good old positive vibes.
GO BANG Magazine: How did your childhood in Cabrini-Green shape your decision to become an author?
Vincent Johnson: There were no specific experiences. Just life in general.
GO BANG Magazine: How do you think your upbringing has influenced your writing style and themes?
Vincent Johnson: It did not influence my style of writing. It was something I gained on my own.
GO BANG Magazine: What inspires you to write? Do you draw inspiration from your own experiences or other sources?
Vincent Johnson: It’s a combination of what I’ve experienced and the way I perceive myself and us as a people.
GO BANG Magazine: What are some of the recurring themes or messages you explore in your work?
Vincent Johnson: My heart is with us as a people, and that influences my writing.
GO BANG Magazine: How does your writing process work? Do you have any specific routines or rituals?
Vincent Johnson: During the morning is when I have my most inspired thoughts.
GO BANG Magazine: What are some of the biggest challenges you face as an author from Cabrini-Green?
Vincent Johnson: None that I can think of. My background is not so much a factor as my present mindset of how I see things today.
GO BANG Magazine: How do you hope your writing can impact readers, both within and outside of your community?
Vincent Johnson: I’m hoping that the young people who check out my work will find a greater sense of themselves, especially in terms of who we are.
GO BANG Magazine: Do you feel a responsibility to represent the experiences of your community accurately and authentically?
Vincent Johnson: Any reference to my former community will always be one of appreciation and love. During the time I was coming up in the 50s and 60s, we had a natural concern for each other.
GO BANG Magazine: What are your hopes and dreams for your future as an author?
Vincent Johnson: That I will be recognized as someone who told it like it was, raw with no filters, based on my love for us as a people.
GO BANG Magazine: What advice would you give to aspiring writers from marginalized communities?
Vincent Johnson: Just be your self whatever that is, in spite of nay-sayers and occasional setbacks.
GO BANG Magazine: How has the demolition and redevelopment of Cabrini-Green affected your perspective and writing?
Vincent Johnson: Actually, I’m glad they tore them down because compared to my time, we didn’t have all those shootings, killings, and rapes going on as it was. So again, I’m glad that they tore them down.
GO BANG Magazine: Are there any specific literary influences that have shaped your work?
Vincent Johnson: None at all. I’m coming straight from the heart, with my own experiences.
GO BANG Magazine: What would you like your legacy to be?
Vincent Johnson: A man who stayed true to our cause as a resurrected people from the slave effects of our past.
GO BANG Magazine: Well Vincent, I want to thank you for granting me this interview and you have now officially been BANGED! GO BANG!
Vincent Johnson: Thank you!
In the WHAT book, it’s about being you and a closer look at who’s really who. Plus, there is no “but” in the book of WHAT because in it we find right from the start it opens your mind and speaks to your heart.
WHAT is an acronym which means: Wisdom honors all truth It’s also a slogan that means: Time answers hard work
The WHAT book is full of wit, humor and power, And, bit by bit, the blue lotus flower! The sayings that follow and the messages they hold, may they make your tomorrow like silver and gold.
Believers beware these are changing times and those who can bear the truth in these rhymes. Life is a chance, challenge and sometimes a choice, sometimes we mourn and sometimes rejoice. But it’s never for sure when it comes to time and nor are my thoughts when it comes to rhyme.
To order your autographed copy, simply contact Vincent to pay your $20 in person or to notify him you are sending your payment via Zelle to 312-772-7881 or email to:leonvj888@yahoo.com.
Freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com. In addition, he’s an Author, Singer/Songwriter, Actor, Model, Poet, Dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.
Photos provided by Holle Thee Maxwell & Connie Carroll:
When you mention the name ”HOLLY MAXWELL”, you have mentioned a name that is respected all over the world. She IS “THEE entertainer’s entertainer” and IS better than she has ever been before! Musically, this lady has done it all, traveled everywhere and knows everybody that is somebody and is equally well known by the same somebody’s.
HOLLY MAXWELL at birth was named HOLLE’THEE MAR CLA RO DE’ MAXWELL. She is now using the spelling of her real name HOLLE’THEE MAXWELL. A native of Chicago, Illinois, born October 17th, 1945, HOLLE THEE’ was destined to be one of the world’s greatest entertaining performers.
Holle’ Thee sang her first song at age of five years young professionally. Still, unlike most, she gives all due respect and credit to a higher spiritual power for creating her parents, Marcellus and Eula Thee Gladys, for being her sole inspiration to continue being musical, starting with classical piano and singing opera, in German, French and Italian.
Holle’ Thee to this date, is the only American from African descent to have been presented in concert at THEE age of 12 years young at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House, presented by noteworthy Rev. Dr. Lena McLin and her mother, Eula Thee.
Holle’ Thee has graduated with two master degrees in music, one from Roosevelt University, Chicago Musical College, Chicago, Illinois and the other from the world class Julliard School of Music, New York, New York.
Holle’ Thee was THEE first and only to perform a live show in flight aboard a 747 TWA Jet, going from Chicago to Costa Del Sol, Spain in 1972 to sing for President Franco.
Holle’ Thee replaced Tina Turner with the musical Legendary Ike Turner Review and was the only vocalist that toured with jazz great organist Mr. Jimmy Smith for three years. She has opened shows for The Mighty Dells, The Tempting Temptations, The Spectacular Spinners, Music Legend King Curtis, Legendary comedian/actors Slappy White and Redd Foxx, Pop Music Legends Captain and Tennille, Oscar Award-winning living legend actor Louis Gossett Jr., and too many more to mention.
Holle’ Thee is a favorite on THEE Chicago Blues Festivals, 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2013, 2015.
2014 & 2017 – Inductee into Thee Chicago Blues Hall of Fame.
2015 – Life Time Achievement Award from Chicago Music Awards.
2009, 2011, 2015 – Holle’ Thee represented the Chicago Blues Festivals on popular television station WCIU on “You and Me In The Morning” during the Aly Bockler segment.
2015- Life Time Achievement Award from Chicago Women in The Blues.
June 2015 – Holle’ Thee was featured in a documentary about the “Grandfather of Rock and Roll”, legendary Ike Turner in a television show entitled, “UNSung.”
2016 – Holle’ Thee received a resolution from The City Council / City of Chicago, Mayor Emanuel and Alderwoman Pat Dowell for Holle’ Thee’s seven decades / 65 years devotion in music, also celebrating her 71st birthday.
2023 – Nominated for Literary Award for “Freebase Ain’t Free” by the Black Arts and Culture Alliance of Chicago.
Holle’ Thee represented on poster and all advertising, the first time ever “Women of The Blues”, Coast to Coast Collection of photographs from photographers from all over THEE world photographing women Blues singers from across the country at Firecat Gallery, Chicago, IL, the University of Chicago, to The Blues Museum in St. Louis, Missouri; all produced by Orman Music and Media.
She is a featured part of THEE Chicago Women in THEE Blues 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and with many radio interviews and television appearances under her belt.
Holle’ Thee was the entertainment producer and host of “STRAIGHT TALK PRESENTS MUSIC” on Mondays at www.starplanettv.com.
Holle’ Thee is a graduate model and accomplished songwriter; having written many originals on her CD’s and “Ain’t God Something” for THEE internationally known Blues artist great, legendary Bobby Blue Bland.
THEE Icon, THEE musical living legend, THEE exceptional talents given by God to THEE one and only, Ms. Holle’ Thee Maxwell
Legendary Holle Thee Maxwell….. THEE Original BLACK BLONDE BOMBSHELL!!!
GO BANG Magazine: Where were you born and raised and how would you describe your childhood?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: I was born in Chicago at Providence Hospital…..My childhood was filled with music, for my mother was an opera singer. So, I learned to sing opera (classical music) at a very young age..
GO BANG Magazine: Looking back on your incredible seven-decade career, what milestones stand out as most meaningful to you?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: There are so many. Did you read my bio’s, short and Wikipedia? My life with Ike Turner, who they destroyed with Annie Mae’s help, and my singing with jazz organ great Jimmy Smith. Also, being THEE first and last to ever entertain on a TWA flight in THEE air from Chicago to Spain..to perform for President ..Franco….Also I was THEE first Afro American 12 year young child to ever be presented at Civic (Lyric) Opera House singing French, German and Italian. There have been so many wonderful actions of God in my life, I can’t remember and them all!…Just read my stories as they come this year!
GO BANG Magazine: You’ve seamlessly navigated diverse genres throughout your career, from opera to blues. What drives your artistic curiosity and versatility.
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: Thee simplest way to answer that is….I’ve been blessed with an enormous amount of talent and I just was never and will never settle for being less than God intended me to be..I am setting my sites now on being THEE first black senior woman in Country music.
GO BANG Magazine: As the only American of African descent to perform at Chicago’s Lyric Opera House at such a young age, how did that experience shape your perspective on the music industry?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: That experience of being able to sing opera in different languages fluently, enabled me to switch my music into jazz singing very easily, (especially) after being raped by my stepfather and my mother shooting him dead. While singing, she was hand cuffed behind THEE curtains! That had THEE effect on me to change my music from opera to jazz!
GO BANG Magazine: Collaborating with legends like Ike Turner and Jimmy Smith must have been unforgettable. What did you learn from these collaborations that continue to influence your work?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: THEE main thing I learned from them both was to know you’re THEE best and let THEE world know it….while at THEE same time help those that probably won’t appreciate your help…but it makes me feel good to be in a position to help! I just watch now who to help!
GO BANG Magazine: It is your mission to clear Ike Turner’s name. You recount a different man than who is commonly reported in the press. Please describe your friendship with Ike Turner and why it is so important to you to clear his name.
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: Entertainers always, always get a bad rep and especially from those that I ask, “What closet were you hiding in to know all you babble about?” and most too often, they shut up! I know how it feels to be accused falsely. Even now, I go through that with THEE last of so called friends, whom I am slowly eliminating even now…Ike was a musical genius that a self-abusive Annie Mae, along with “white man America” destroyed…. He was given an unjustified bad rep and I will, as long as I live and after my death, keep telling the truth that lies about him, I will not allow to stand!!! Read my book, THEE untold story about Ike, entitled, “Freebase Ain’t Free!” He died and I’ll keep riding with him and his spirit in me We loved each other, spiritually!!! Ike was my Ride or Die!!!!
GO BANG Magazine: What rituals or routines do you use to prepare yourself for a powerful performance?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: There are no rituals that I go through. I am just a natural… No effort! I love what I can do…so i just go and do it! I keep thanking God!
GO BANG Magazine: You’ve captivated audiences worldwide, earning the title of “Queen of Entertaining Entertainers.” What do you consider the essence of true entertainment?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: THEE essence of true entertainment is having THEE natural ability to relate and talk to your audience like they’re family. You must be able to act what you’re singing about and take your audience where you need them to be with you and where you want them to go with you….Just don’t stand there and sing! Anybody can do that! You must be an “Entertaining Entertainer!”
GO BANG Magazine: What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who dream of achieving similar success and longevity in their careers?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: First, you must believe in yourself wholeheartedly! Do not allow yourself to be with those unlike yourself! Never allow others’ thoughts about you, if negative, to get in your way! You have to get and stay out of your own way first! Do not allow yourself be be fearful…Be fearless! Tackle challenges! ALLWAYS ALWAYS, CHALLENGE YOURSELF! Reach higher and higher! Success is not what others think of you or defining who you are….as long as you remain what God designed you to be within his creation…you are already successful!!!
My longevity comes from me telling THEE truth and laughing a lot and when obe doesn’t like it I laugh more!
GO BANG Magazine: Throughout your journey, what challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: I have had so many challenges in my life, too many to tell about now…but I overcame them all believing God didn’t create me to be “nothing” with all THEE talent I had and I still have…Read my new book and see my life story documentary entitled, “All Kinds A Rape From Opera to THEE Blues!” when they come out!!! That will tell it all!
GO BANG Magazine: With such a rich experience, you decided to self-publish a book entitled “Freebase Ain’t Free.” Please describe what inspired you to write the book and what it is about.
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: What was done to Ike and what was done to me inspired me to write “Freebase Ain’t Free!” Just how dirty entertainment can be destroying Ike and how others outside of entertainment attempted to destroy me! Thee book is about my life and love for Ike and myself He had my back! I had his!!! Read it when you need THEE truth about us both!
GO BANG Magazine: Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope to leave behind with your music and influence?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: I would love to leave behind a “Black Musicians Matters” Museum behind, telling just our stories with nothing else mixed in, just our musical histories, along with mine .
(Photos below courtesy of Hyde Park Records/Facebook)
GO BANG Magazine: Lastly, on Saturday, February 17, 2024 @ 2pm, you have an event in Hyde Park, Chicago, IL. Please invite our readers to your event as and tell us all about it?
Holle’ Thee Maxwell: THEE event is a book, CD, signing along with THEE sale of BLACK MUSICIAN MATTERS tee shirts. It will be held at Hyde park Records 1377 East 53rd Street Saturday Feb. 17th from 2pm until 5pm// I’ll be signing my book and all my CD’s and THEE tee shirts are from my organization call THEEMaxxeMomMusicGroup@gmail.com Come and see some folks you aint’ seen in along time, if they ain’t dead! Love IS!!! BMM See you soon!
Freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com. In addition, he’s an Author, Singer/Songwriter, Actor, Model, Poet, Dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG! Magazine. Follow him on Facebook @Pierre Andre Evans, Twitter @Playerre, on Instagram @Pierre_Andre_Evans.
Que Wright, born in Chicago, IL, found his love for poetry attending Gwendolyn Brooks Junior High and it continued in high school, while on the verge of failing Junior year English at Thornton Township High School. The poetry unit saved his semester and grades when his teacher, Ms. Milsap, allowed him to perform his poetry for extra credit.
Enrolling in honors Speech, the following semester gave him the confidence to keep writing and keep performing. Que would go on to attend an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Bowie State University in Maryland, obtaining his Bachelors of Science degree in Communications Broadcast Journalism. He also holds a Masters in Secondary Education from GCU.
Que currently teaches Creative Writing at Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School and is an award winning DJ/Radio Personality on Dash Radio, based out of Los Angeles on the “Big Heff Radio Show.” It’s nationally syndicated in over 23 markets. Recently, Que Wright published his first book “Eclectic Dreams” on March 25, 2021 under the Absolute Author Publishing House. It is currently available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
GO BANG! Magazine: Congratulations! You published your first book of poetry “Eclectic Dreams.” Please tell our readers all about your book and what inspired you to write it.
Que Wright: My book “Eclectic Dreams” was inspired by everyday life. I consider it a poetic memoir.
GO BANG! Magazine: When did you realize that you had a gift for writing poetry?
Que Wright: I realized my gift for writing poetry years ago when I was still in high school. I started performing my poetry in my high school English class for extra credit.
GO BANG! Magazine: What is it about poetry that ignites a fire in you?
Que Wright: It allows me to write exactly how I feel and describe my inner thoughts in so many ways.
GO BANG! Magazine: How would you describe your poetry to someone that may not be familiar with you?
Que Wright: My poetry is abstract realism.
GO BANG! Magazine: Who are some of the poets, past and present, that inspire and/or motivate you?
Que Wright: Some of the poets that inspire past and present would have to be R.H. Sin, Rupi Kaur, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Tupac, Jhene Aiko and more.
GO BANG! Magazine: Some people categorize poetry and spoken word as the same. Others say that there is a definite difference. How would you describe the two and are you a spoken word artist?
Que Wright: I think the act of performing poetry is spoken word. I would not consider myself a spoken word artist, just an artist. I think poetry is my safe space to design culture, however I see fit.
GO BANG! Magazine: In addition to being a published author, you’re also an award winning DJ/Radio Personality. Please tell our readers about your DJ career.
Que Wright: I have been a DJ for over 10 years. I have been on one of the best syndicated Hip Hop shows on Dash Radio, based in Los Angeles the “Midwest Monsters Radio Show” and I have been a DJ on the Big Heff Radio show. I also made my national Radio debut in 2018 on The “Sway In The Morning Show” on Sirius XM as a guest mixer.
GO BANG! Magazine: Please describe your role as a Radio Personality on Dash Radio.
Que Wright: I interview artist and help “indy” artist have a voice on my new wave artist segment.
GO BANG! Magazine: Obviously education is important to you. You attended an HBCU where you earned your Bachelors of Science degree and then went on to GCU and earned a Master’s degree. How do you describe your passion for education and why was it important for you to attend an HBCU?
Que Wright: Attending an HBCU was one of the most important decisions I made in my life. Bowie State University in Maryland is one of the best colleges and places. I was able to attend and obtain my bachelors. I would recommend an HBCU to any young Black person on their educational journey to attend.
GO BANG! Magazine: In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it?
Que Wright: I’m just trying to stay healthy and keep my family safe by following mask mandates and just staying home and not putting people at risk.
You can purchase Quentin Wright’s book of poetry “Eclectic Dreams” on Amazon
Follow Que Wright on social media at: @QWrights and @DJQueEleven
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram
On November 24, 2019, I accepted an offer for my dream job with a radio station, as a freelance writer and social media manager. This was my first time fully pursuing my dream of being self-employed, so I took a leap of faith and accepted the position, as a side hustle to my main job. I could work from home as well. Everything was going well on the dream job. I felt that the job was secure and it was paying twice the pay as my main job. I continued doing both jobs and on December 20, 2019 I went on vacation from my main job.
From December 20th throughout the holiday season, I was on cloud nine, loving my new career. While on vacation from my main job, I had time to really think about what I wanted to do. I decided that I was sick of my regular “9 to 5” and I should pursue my dream full-time. My new dream job was a part of the iHeart Media family.
On January 6, 2020, when I returned from vacation to my main job, I submitted my letter of resignation, effective immediately. I was fully self-employed. Unfortunately, the next day, my dream job let me go, due to a massive and nationwide iHeart Media lay-off. Last hired, first fired. I didn’t know what I was going to do. Yesterday, I had two jobs and today I have NO job! Fortunately, I was eligible for Unemployment Compensation.
Since I’m home and got free time, I decided that now that I am unemployed and have plenty of free time, this would be the best time to go on a vacation. What better place to go, to lift my spirits, than New Orleans, Mardi Gras, on Fat Tuesday! So that’s what I did…me and my homie. From February 23, 2020 thru Wednesday February 26, 2020 I had a ball. This time included Fat Tuesday, February 25th. I had a great time, but I found that the people and the city were too slow for me. I’m high spirited and swift-minded and I found the city to be too laid back for me. So, I won’t be retuning there.
When I returned home, I learned of the Coronavirus and that it was spreading very fast in New Orleans. Luckily, I’d left just in time and didn’t really interact with many people, because I wasn’t feeling the city, as I stated already. All of my loved ones and friends reached out to me to make sure that I wasn’t sick. I wasn’t. Thank God!
Now it’s March 2020. On March 11, 2020 the Novel Coronavirus Disease, COVID-19, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. On March 13, 2020 a national emergency was declared in the United States concerning the COVID-19 Outbreak. The world has been shut down and everyone is locked down in their homes. WTF!!!
Now back at home during this time off, and with me already being a published writer, I wanted to kick it up a notch and start my own online magazine. I have always wanted to do that, but never had the time to invest in starting it. NOW I HAD THE TIME! The world is on lockdown! I pivoted from being an author to being a publisher.
The purpose of my magazine would be to enlighten my readers with stories, people and events that are making POSITIVE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE WORLD, highlighting known and unknown individuals and events.
So, on April 1, 2020 I launched the first issue of my magazine, GO BANG! Magazine, (www.GoBangMagazine.com) with NO START UP MONEY and NO publishing EXPERIENCE. Having worked with historic and iconic media outlets such as The Chicago Defender Newspaper, N’Digo Magapaper and the Soul Train brand, I was fully groomed to start my own. All I had was a vision, passion and a dream! I would now be the CEO, Publisher, Senior Editor and Journalist, as well as the Promoter and Publicist.
April was just one month after COVID-19 was categorized as a pandemic. As I said, the world shut down, so the timing of my magazine couldn’t have been better. Everybody was at home and had nothing to do. Why not read GO BANG! Magazine?
September 2020 marked GO BANG! Magazine’s six-month anniversary. At this point, GO BANG! Magazine had been received overwhelmingly great across the planet, not just here in the United States. GO BANG! Magazine is global and includes readers in United Kingdom, China, Nigeria, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Japan, Saint Lucia and United Arab Emirates. WOW, WOW & WOW!!!
I’m told that the public loves the in-depth interviews and the people that I select to interview. Many of the interviewees have commented on how they love the way I conduct the interviews, which are via email, the questions asked, and how they are allowed to fully express themselves, with no restrictions.
November 2020, I accepted a job with the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership as a Lead Contact Tracer. I had always wanted to help rid the world of this deadly pandemic, and now I had the chance. This was a work-from-home position, so it wouldn’t interfere with publishing my magazine. My Contact Tracing duties include: leading 16 Contact Tracers in contacting individuals that may have been exposed to COVID-19 thru close contact with a COVID-19 infected individual and provide them with information and guidance to interrupt/reduce the ongoing transmission of the disease by obtaining symptom information, advising them to self-quarantine and to monitor their health, assisting exposed individuals in getting tested, connecting individuals to resources and support during self-quarantine and self-isolation.
March 2021, I initiated accepting promotional ads and offering sponsorship packages to individuals and businesses. As of now, ads are my focus. In the near future, as the world opens back up, I will focus on GO BANG! Magazine sponsored events, and therefore my focus will be more on soliciting sponsorship packages.
April 1, 2021: Celebrating ONE YEAR of publication, GO BANG! Magazine has achieved what many other media outlets haven’t. April 1, 2021 marks the ONE YEAR Anniversary of GO BANG! Magazine! In that one year, GO BANG! Magazine has become the reliable source for in-depth interviews and an internationally global successful medium. The magazine has interviewed hundreds of celebrities and everyday individuals. It proudly boasts, having readers from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, China, Italy, Nigeria, Australia, Germany, Spain, France, Japan, Saint Lucia and several other countries.
In addition to that, GO BANG! Magazine is now offering reasonably priced monthly AD SPACE and seeking SPONSORSHIP opportunities for businesses and/or individuals interested in sponsoring upcoming events produced by the GO BANG! Magazine brand.
In addition to the magazine, I have also launched a newsletter which creates a database of my readers and followers. I have sister sites of the magazine on all social media platforms as well. With all of these platforms, it has given me an audience to promote and sell merchandise, as well as fundraise. I have created promotional facemasks, hats and shirts with the GO BANG! Magazine logo on it! The items have been received positively by the public and sales have been great!
I am proud, amazed, thrilled and thankful for the first year of GO BANG! Magazine and I look forward to more years to come.
What I have learned during this wonderful journey is that you must be creative, be persistent, trust yourself, have faith, hang in for the long-haul, be flexible and always be willing to learn more about your field of business.
I had a DREAM… COVID-19 Pandemic gave me TIME… GOD gave me the GIFT to……
GO BANG!…
I DID!
Thank you ALL for your past, present and future support!!!!
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for: SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram
On this episode, LIVING ON PURPOSE had a conversation with entrepreneur and author, Pierre A. Evans. He gave us an in-depth look into the creative process of his book “Inside The Minds of Entertainers” and other fascinating subjects.
You can follow Pierre A. Evans on all social media: @PierreAndreEvans, @GoBangMagazine, @InsideTheMindsOfEntertainers, @HouseMusicDanceClassForHouseMusicLovers, @AndrePierreTheDancingMachine
THE ORIGINATOR OF HOUSE MUSIC, JESSE SAUNDERS TO RELEASE NEW BOOK ENTITLED “In Their Own WORDS” FEATURING 83 INDIVIDUAL STORIES FROM CHICAGO AND AROUND THE WORLD JUNE 4, 2020
Jesse Saunders, The Originator of House Music, is proud to announce the release of his second book In Their Own WORDS. Following up on the critically acclaimed ‘House Music…The Real Story’, Jesse has delivered a book for the people by the people….‘In Their Own Words’ paints a picture of what House Music means, not to the superstars of the industry, but to the ordinary men and women have been touched by the music in the most significant of ways.
This is how it started for them and is an indication of why they continue to love House Music. The Prologue from Jesse himself outlines the timeline of House Music, how it emerged from the days of Disco, and found its place among a planet of House Heads. This is where the sun began to shine for so many; where only darkness had been before. This is why House Music will always be at the center of their lives and ‘In Their Own Words’ a place of belonging.
House Music has always been more than just a type of dance music. It introduced a sentiment of love, peace, and beats to a very troubled Chicago community in the 1980s and from that seed, it became the global phenomenon that we see today. The narrative reflects moments in time and space that speak to the effect it has had on people. It explains why it means so much to them and why they continue to immerse themselves in a genre of music that owes much to Jesse himself.
This is the story of Disco, House Music and Electronic Dance Music from the people who lived it, loved it, and discovered it along the way… Available via Amazon June 4th. # # #
Chapter 1: Disco Defined Chapter 2: The Disco Years Chapter 3: Chicago – The Mecca of House Chapter 4: Chicago – House Music Is Born Chapter 5: The Movement Chapter 6: The Rave Culture
Yvette McWhorter, a cannabis industry worker, can usually be found journaling or jotting down ideas for original books, movies, plays or songs.
Writing a book has always been on her bucket list. With her current manuscript “Steppin In The Key of Love” on the horizon, Yvette is that much closer to making her dream come true. Her love for theater began with a third grade class trip to the Schubert Theater to see “Pinocchio.” Many years later, in response to the crack cocaine epidemic, she wrote her first play “Inner City Blues.”
Music has always been her first love. Ed “Get Down” Crosby and Pierre “Playerre’ Evans were the first producers to appreciate and record her sultry alto vocals.
When not engaged in thinking of ways to tell stories about things people haven’t already heard, you can find her relaxing at home with her dog Fancy, or doing karaoke.
GO BANG! Magazine: As a multi-talented artist who writes plays, books, films, and can sing, you are highly gifted. Which of your talents did you discover first and how did it reveal itself to you?
Yvette McWhorter: I would have to say it was singing. So, I must have been about ten years old when “Sweet Thing” by Chaka Khan was released. My friends and I were on the porch listening to the radio and as soon as I heard that guitar intro, I went into full Chaka Khan mode. I was doing my little Chaka dance and everything. When I started singing, I shocked myself. I knew I LIKED to sing but I didn’t realize I COULD sing until that moment.
GO BANG! Magazine: The theater bug bit you early in your youth, while you were in third grade. That sparked a fire in you that burned deep inside of you for years. You were inspired to write the play “Inner City Blues.” Please tell our readers about your play, its message, and if you still are planning to showcase it again.
Yvette McWhorter: I started writing “Inner City Blues” during the crack cocaine epidemic. That was a really painful time for black people and I wanted to express my pain the best way I knew how. As you can tell by the title, Marvin Gaye was my inspiration, specifically, the “What’s Going On” album. That album just felt like the soundtrack for everything that was happening during that time. Mothers were losing their sons to gang-violence. We were being vilified in the media nightly. The music industry was producing videos and song lyrics that reflected and sometimes glorified it all. The message that I wanted to convey was no matter how bad things were, black people had seen worse and we still managed to survive.
As far as future plans to showcase it, I never say never. It would definitely have to be revised. One of the changes I would make would be to change the dialogue to narration and let the Alvin Ailey Dancers tell the story through music and choreography, if that makes sense.
GO BANG! Magazine: Vocally, you have a distinctive tone. Over the years, you have hit the studio and laid your soprano voice on the tracks of two producers. Please tell us about those songs, the experience, and if “YUMMY” plans to hit the studio again anytime soon.
Yvette McWhorter: Well, first off, I couldn’t hit a soprano note if my life depended on it. LMAO. I sang alto in acapella choir in high school. Anyway, a very good friend of mine, Ed “Get down” Crosby, was the first person to see potential in me as an artist. Ed was one of the original members of the” Hot Mix 5” on Chicago radio station WGCI. He was very talented. I was flattered when he told me that he thought I was good enough to make it to the top. I believed it too. The problem was that the studio scared the hell out of me. We ended up recording two songs that could’ve been great, had I just let my creativity flow. We both knew neither of the songs were a true representation of my abilities.
A few years later I was introduced to Mr. Pierre “Playerre” Evans. If I remember correctly, Pierre you were looking for backup singers, right? The original singer for your song “Mind Groove” had been sick and couldn’t make it to rehearsal for a few weeks. The song “Mind Groove” was meant to be a duet, but you were doing both parts at rehearsal. Then one day you asked me to sing her part. I’d been listening to the song so much that it felt natural and the nervousness I always feel when I sing new material was barely there.
When you let me listen to the other young lady doing the song, it sounded great and she had a beautiful voice. But I thought the lyrics called for a more potent voice and a “stand your ground” kind of attitude. I was older and had been through some stuff. Soooo…..l brought ALL THAT to the song. You and I had great chemistry and your confidence encouraged me to find some of my own and I thank you for that.
I don’t know if I want to record again, but I’d love to sing with a cover band.
GO BANG! Magazine: As a screenwriter, you write scripts for television and film. Do you have any written scripts or scripts in development that you can speak of at this time?
Yvette McWhorter: I have ideas that I am trying to develop that can be adapted to stage or screen. However, I find the direction that the movie industry seems to be moving in very interesting. Coronavirus has forced block buster movies off the big screen and onto cable networks. Netflix and Amazon Prime have been really stepping up their game with original content. So, there are opportunities for new film makers with new ideas.
GO BANG! Magazine: Currently, you’re finishing up your first book entitled “Steppin’ In The Key Of Love.” Please describe to our readers the process of writing a book, what your book is about, and when it will become available for our readers to buy.
Yvette McWhorter: Whew! Where do I start? Well, for me the process was probably unconventional. My initial goal was to find an original backdrop and then weave a story around it. My mother is one of what I call the pioneers of “Steppin.” The stories and pictures she’s shared with me inspired me to write a book to pay homage to all steppers. I like a good love story. So, I decided to write a story about a spoiled, strong willed woman who’d grown bored with her loving but predictable spouse. She sets out to find the excitement she craves on the dance floor.
After a VERY rough draft I sent my work to an editor. I knew it wasn’t ready, but I wanted her to point me in the right direction by showing me what I had done wrong. She started by telling me that my idea was very original, but it needed a lot more work. During the time I was working on a second draft, a friend tagged me in a Facebook post with a link to a Sun-Times article and she said, “this reminded me of you when I saw it.” When I went to the link I was horrified. It was an article about a new show that was premiering, and it was about Steppin. I knew this wasn’t a case of “same idea, different people” before I even saw the show.
The producers that were being interviewed didn’t even bother to use their own words to answer the questions about the show. They used thinly veiled quotes directly from my work. I can’t prove it, but to quote Erykah Badu “I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my shit.” In other words, I know my work when I see it. Once I saw the show, I laughed because basically they created a different set of circumstances for their lead characters by doing the opposite of everything I did. In my version my couple was married with no children and having marital issues. Their couple was married with children and started out happy. Get It? But, character personalities, occupations, physical descriptions, and Chicago geographical locations that were specific to my story were all included.
I was livid but, in a way, having my work stolen was a huge compliment. I knew it had potential no matter how much work it needed. Having it stolen and produced by a network just proved me right. I have no desire to finish the book after what has happened. The thing about being creative though is you have a million ideas where that one came from. I would however like to see “Steppin’ In the Key of Love” done RIGHT, as a limited series.
GO BANG! Magazine: Of your talents that we have spoken of, which is your favorite and why?
Yvette McWhorter: Music speaks to my spirit more than any other form of artistic language. Singing allows me to express my emotions, no matter what they are. It engages all of my senses because I am fully indulged. If I am singing about a man’s cologne, I smell it. If I am singing about a broken heart, I feel it.
On the other hand, writing allows me to create a world that I control. It takes me away from reality completely or lets me manipulate it in fun or sometimes insane ways. I lose track of time when I’m writing because I am totally immersed in that world at that time. So, both singing and writing are my favorite, at different times.
GO BANG! Magazine: What inspires or motivates you to create?
Yvette McWhorter: A lot of what I write is inspired by bits and pieces of real-life events or people, sprinkled with fantasy. Much of it is something I myself may have experienced or how I believe I would respond to something if it happened to me. Then other times I could be sitting there doing something totally unrelated to writing, and my little Gemini brain will say “hey, wouldn’t this be a good idea for a book or movie?” LOL. Welcome to my world.
GO BANG! Magazine: If you were given the opportunity for one of your dreams to come true, what would that dream be?
Yvette McWhorter: When I worked for the Department of Corrections, I wrote plays for the inmates to perform. There are so many talented people behind bars that I was never at a loss to find someone to fill the roles. And very well I might add. They were grateful to be a part of something positive, but I was granted the reward of seeing my work come to life. One day, I would like to see something I have written “green lighted” and produced with my name on the credits.
GO BANG! Magazine: What should our readers be on the lookout for from you in the near future?
Yvette McWhorter: Right now, I write when the mood strikes me. As I mentioned, I’m still trying to get a producer in Chicago interested in doing “Steppin In the Key of Love”. I still think it’s a great idea, even if I have to change the storyline. Chicago deserves a story about what WE created to be told from our perspective.
GO BANG! Magazine: In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it?
Yvette McWhorter: Covid-19 has given meaning to the phrase “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to it.” I have taken this time to think about how to move forward in our new world. I’m thinking about how to seize opportunities that will be available. I want to live the best of my life for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, that may mean letting go of people, places and things that haven’t served me well in the past. It means holding myself accountable for not being where I want to be. I quarantined alone so it’s a good thing I like my own company. So, all things considered, I am well.
GO BANG! Magazine: JOIN US IN WISHING YVETTE McWHORTER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (6/1)
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram
A native son of Chicago, John W. Fountain is an award-winning columnist, journalist, professor and author of the memoir, True Vine: A Young Black Man’s Journey of Faith, Hope and Clarity (Public Affairs, 2003) and Dear Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood (WestSide Press, 2011). His essay, “The God Who Embraced Me” appears in National Public Radio’s book, This I Believe (Henry Holt Books, 2006), as part of the nationally acclaimed series initially started by Edward R. Morrow. Fountain is a professor of journalism at Roosevelt University and a weekly freelance columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. In 2016, 2014 and 2011, Fountain received the Peter Lisagor Award for Exemplary Journalism for columns published in the Sun-Times. Fountain won the Lisagor Award in the category of news column or commentary among daily newspapers with a circulation of 250,000 or more from the Chicago Headline Club—the largest local chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists in the country. In 2014, Fountain was awarded best column by the Illinois Press Association.
In 2015, Fountain was a Lisagor Award finalist for online best Feature for a series on a Little League Baseball team in suburban Chicago: The Sweet Season. In 2013, he was a finalist for the National Association of Black Journalists “Salute to Excellence Award” in the magazine category for his first-person feature “Murder Was the Case” in Ebony (July 2012). In 2012, Fountain received the Illinois Associated Press Editors Association Award and the Chicago Journalists Association Sarah Brown Boyden Award for his column in the Sun-Times.
In a journalism career that has spanned more than 30 years, Fountain has been a reporter at some of the top newspapers in this country. From 2000 to 2003, he was a national correspondent for The New York Times. Based in Chicago, Fountain covered a 12-state region. He also has been a staff writer at the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune. He has written for the Wall Street Journal, Chicago SunTimes, Modesto Bee, Pioneer Press Newspapers in suburban Chicago and the Champaign News-Gazette.
He was formerly a tenured full professor at his alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and visiting scholar at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston. In addition to working as a national correspondent, Fountain has been a crime and courts reporter as well as a general assignment reporter and features writer.
Fountain was a 2009 fellow at the Knight Digital Multimedia Center at the University of California-Berkeley. At Roosevelt, he teaches Media Writing, Personal Journalism/Memoir Writing, Convergence Journalism, News Reporting, Literary Journalism and Special Projects courses.
In 1999, Fountain was one of 12 American journalists selected for the prestigious Michigan Journalism Fellowship for the 1999-2000 class at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Fountain studied inner-city poverty and race. Fountain earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Over his career, Fountain has won numerous honors for feature writing from the National Association of Black Journalists, the Associated Press, and the American Association of University Women, among others. In 2003, he was a finalist in feature writing and sports writing for the Peter Lisagor Award for excellence in journalism. He continues to be an invited guest on local and national radio and television news shows and has appeared on National Public Radio, Chicago Public Radio, WGN-TV, NBC-Channel 5, ABC-Channel-7, WTTW’s Chicago Tonight and numerous radio shows.
Fountain frequently speaks across the country to inner-city youths, at schools and other groups. He shares his inspirational story of going from poverty and the urban mean streets of Chicago’s West Side to the top of his profession. “True Vine” is his remarkable story—of his childhood in a neighborhood heading south; of his strong-willed grandparents, who founded a church (called True Vine) that sought to bring the word of God to their neighbors; and of his religious awakening that gave him the determination to rebuild his life.
Inspired by Fountain’s essay for the acclaimed National Public Radio’s This I Believe series, “Dear Dad” is a compilation of true narratives written by some of the nation’s finest journalists and writers. Fountain’s most recent book projects are: “No Place for Me: Letters to the Church in America” and “Son of the Times: Life, Laughter, Love and Coffee,” a book of essays.
GO BANG! Magazine: When did you first become interested in writing?
John W. Fountain: I have always loved writing, ever since I was a little boy growing up on the west side of Chicago in a place commonly known as K-Town. I loved writing poetry on the days when it was too cold or rainy to play outside. In elementary school, in creative writing, I would write fictional stories about talking leaves and all sorts of things. We would read those stories in our writing circle and occasionally I would look up and see my classmates laughing and engrossed in the stories I read. It was an amazing high and introduced me early on to the power of storytelling.
GO BANG! Magazine: Being an award-winning columnist, journalist and author, you’re fluent in various writing styles. What is it about writing that motivates you to write?
John W. Fountain: What I most love about writing is the creative process. It is the ability to channel what comes from the heart, mind and soul onto blank pages. Over time I have learned that writing is less about following the rules of structure and mechanics—all the things they teach you in school. Not that those things don’t matter. It’s just that sometimes they can get in the way of the writing process, obstruct creativity and inhibit the gift. Writing is like oxygen. It enables me to breathe, live, feel. It provides visibility. It says that I exist and that I am not invisible. Writing is a transaction with the soul.
GO BANG! Magazine: I became familiar with you through a poem that you posted on Facebook in April that was about the current COVID-19 pandemic. Please explain to our readers what inspired you to write that poem about the ignorance of people, surrounding COVID-19.
John W. Fountain: We are our brother’s keeper and we are connected, affected, impacted by our decisions and by the decisions of others in a global society. This world pandemic has illustrated that in a very real way. Yet, so much misinformation exists. My poem was motivated by my desire to share some truth and to present it in a way that people might be able to receive it. We truly are all in this together. The scripture says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” I hope my poem, even if in some small way, helped sound the trumpet for us to heed the call to do what’s necessary to protect ourselves, our families and each other.
GO BANG! Magazine: You’re also a professor at a prominent university in Chicago, teaching various writing and journalism classes. Why is it important to you to pass on your knowledge of writing?
John W. Fountain: The cemetery is filled with unrealized dreams, with potential and the best of intentions to help others achieve their own dreams, and with talent not fully used. My belief is that whatever talents or gifts we have, the totality of our God-given abilities, resources and wisdom are to be spent while here on earth to help others. In other words, we must empty ourselves; take nothing with us to the grave. By helping others achieve their dreams—whether through writing or some other craft or profession—we ensure our own legacy. We also leave the world potentially as a little better place—at least our corner of it.
GO BANG! Magazine: As an author, you’ve written a few books including “No Place for Me: Letters to the Church in America” and “Son of the Times: Life, Laughter, Love and Coffee.” Please describe to our readers what these two books are about.
John W. Fountain: “No Place for Me” is a spiritual memoir. It’s about my journey as the grandson of a Pentecostal pastor and my turning away from the church I once loved that I now believe has no discernible message for what ails the 21st century black male soul. It is about how I find in the church today no place for me and no longer are a member, but also my rediscovery of my place as a member in the body of Christ.
“Son of The Times” is a collection of some of my best newspaper columns written over the last decade.
GO BANG! Magazine: Another set of books that you’ve authored are “True Vine: A Young Black Man’s Journey of Faith, Hope and Clarity” and “Dear Dad: Reflections on Fatherhood.” These are both very interesting and personal topics. Please point out two or three “take away” points from each book.
John W. Fountain: From “True Vine”: Never stop dreaming or you start to die; There is always hope; Most of my life, I later realized, I wasn’t poor, just broke.
From “Dear Dad”: I am not my father and therefore not destined to repeat his mistakes; To move forward from the hurts and sins my father committed against me or my family, I must learn to forgive him; As a man, as a father, I must learn to forgive myself; It’s never too late.
GO BANG! Magazine: What advice would you give to a youth that is interested in pursuing a career in journalism, but may be unsure of how they may be perceived in the industry, as a minority?
John W. Fountain: I would advise any young person interested in pursuing a career in journalism to study and absorb every lesson in class, to hone their craft, to seek out professional journalists who can serve as mentors, to read voraciously, to never allow anyone to squelch your dreams or passion, and to never give up.
GO BANG! Magazine: Are there any projects that you are currently working on that you’d like to inform our readers about.
John W. Fountain: I am currently working on a project titled, “Unforgotten.” It is the story of 51 murdered Chicago women over two decades that appears to be the work of at least one serial killer who strangled them to death and left their bodies in Chicago alleys and vacant lots, sometimes in trashcans and sometimes set on fire. The project seeks to humanize the victims by telling the stories of each woman beyond the circumstances of their death. Portraits of life.
GO BANG! Magazine: How has knowing your heritage, which originates in Ghana, affected you as a black Chicagoan?
John W. Fountain: Being aware of my West African heritage grounds me. It reminds me that I am rooted not only in the blood-and sweat-baked soil of the Deep South, where my ancestors tilled the plantations, but also in the royal heritage of the Motherland, where we were kings and queens long before the cruelty of racism and slavery. This forms my paradigm as a writer—the reality of being an inhabitant in the town of Bigger Thomas, but a native son of the land of Kunta Kinte.
GO BANG! Magazine: In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world off guard. How are you dealing with it?
John W. Fountain: Amid this global pandemic, I am doing everything I can to stay safe, following social distancing guidelines, sanitizing grocery packages, basically keeping me and my household safe as best I can from outside contaminants and danger. Mostly, I’m listening to the scientists rather than the government.
YOU CAN FOLLOW JOHN W. FOUNTAIN AT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and on Instagram
Pierre A. Evans is a freelance writer of Entertainment, Music, Art, Culture, Fashion and Current Events, and previously for SoulTrain.com, NDigo.com, ChicagoDefender.com, EmpireRadioMagazine.com, and UrbanMuseMag.com, an author, singer/songwriter, actor, model, poet, dancer, and DJ. He is also the Owner of Pinnacle Entertainment Productions and the Owner/Publisher of GO BANG!
