| Frogg Marlowe 8:30pm Thu, Feb 15 Call for price Limelight 2718 N. St. Mary’s 735-7775 Myspace.com/limelightsa |
The virtual world of Second Life is tailor-made for wasting real-world time, a stylish and fashionable playland hipper than World of Warcraft and less ghetto than cruising Myspace pages. Among all the tweemos haunting Second Life’s cyber streets, Jeremy Works — Frogg Marlowe in the virtual world — seems an unlikely and anachronistic type of musician to hit it big as a virtual performer. In real life he resembles the classic-rock artists he admires, shaggily haired and bearded, and his songwriting style is usually doomed to obscurity on college-radio stations. Works’s Second-Life avatar is a flippered, guitar-strumming frog with a fan base both real and virtual, a success all the more extraordinary considering that not too long ago he suffered from back injuries that forced him into homelessness for two months. Nor is Works particularly comfortable with technology (yet), and his website — Froggmarlowe.com — has a rough-hewn look, as if designed by a talented sixth-grader.
Works performs at the Limelight on February 15 at 8:30 p.m., streamed into San Antonio virtual-world development company Metaversatility’s island in Second Life `full disclosure: Current contributor Aaron Delwiche is a co-founder of Metaversatility`. He took a little time away from his busy virtual-tour schedule to chat with the Current.
How long have you been a working musician in real life?
Tough question. I’ve been a singer most of my life, but was always told it wasn’t a real occupation, so worked other jobs until some injuries prevented me from working — about six years ago. Ended up getting back into the performing arts, then settled on music about five years ago, when I finally picked up the guitar. Been working at it since; only recently has it begun to feed me more consistently.
You had a rough stretch of being homeless for a few months, as well as experiencing some health problems. What got you through it, and how have those experiences affected your music?
The homelessness gave me a lot of free time to write, which was essential, as I’d only just started writing songs. The back injuries put me back to where I had to find something to fall back on — and music has always been there for me.
Who were your musical influences growing up, and if you had to compare yourself to another musician today, who would it be?
I listened to the Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, classical, opera, New Age, blues, jazz — and I’d never compare myself to another musician — I can’t do what they do the way they do it, so why should I try? They’re already doing it! But I’ve been compared to Marin Sexton, Greg Brown, Nick Drake — always somebody I’d never heard of before.
Have you adjusted your composing and performing styles for online performances?
Not composing styles, but when performing, I keep my eyes open so I can see the chat.
How have the crowds been in your real-life tour, and how do they compare to the sim crowds?
Well, in Second Life I’ve got some name recognition going — not so much in real life.
Where did the idea for a frog avatar come from?
Frogg is a name I’ve been answering to for 10 years. It just seemed natural to look like one.
Is it true what they say about frogs with big feet?
Yes ... it’s IMPOSSIBLE to find good shoes.
Who’s better with the ladies, you or Frogg?
Frogg — because he doesn’t really exist, therefore has no body odor.
Ever get jealous of the frog?
Haha haha haha.
Have the folks at Second Life approached you with any plans to expand your presence?
I don’t know what expansion is possible. We’re having to turn down gigs because our calendar is so full. We’re struggling to find time to just watch a movie. l
