News Items

Coins & Gossamer and Portents Updates: Plutonian Shore has announced that the release of Coins & Gossamer, a collection of original music specially produced for Bellydancers, Tribal, Fusion and other Oriental Dance Stylists, has been delayed until early next year. Originally slated for an October release this year, the decision was made to delay the album's release to facilitate more time acquiring and working with additional guest performers. 'The scope of the album has really grown since its inception", noted Plutonian Shore co-founder Michael Dawson. "So much material has been written and developed for this project…far beyond what was originally planned. We also want to make sure that we fully exploit all of the elements that have been envisioned for it, which includes all of the excellent guest performers that have been lined up. We're very pleased to have recently 'acquired' another great dancer, Katerina (www.katerinadance.com)…who'll also be contributing to the album". Coins & Gossamer is due out early next year and will be available here on the Official Plutonian Shore Website, Siren's Lost Treasures website (www.laughingsage.com/losttreasures), as well as other select outlets. The album will also be available at certain upcoming Bellydancing events and venues.

The delay of Coins & Gossamer has also pushed back the release of Plutonian Shore's Portents. The Special Limited Series album was due out by January 2005, following the release of Coins & Gossamer. "We don't want the two albums to come out on top of one another. We want to space them out a bit. We like to promote one album at a time", said Michael Dawson. Portents will be available in mid-2005 here on the Official Plutonian Shore Website and other select retail outlets. The orchestral-themed album will be officially known as Plutonian Shore's third studio album and contains all-new, previously unreleased music. Please check back here for more updates and information!

Bellydancing, Halloween Style!: The Sunday Shimmy Showcase at Coffee Haven in Long Beach presents a special Halloween Bellydancing show, 7PM, October 31st. Don't miss this fun, atmospheric, Goth-themed performance! Plutonian Shore's Sean Mulligan and Michael Dawson (who will be providing live sound mixing) will be in attendance. This evening promises to be a dark and exotic journey - with special lighting by Logan. The Sunday Shimmy Showcase is an ongoing event that happens every Sunday evening at Coffee Haven (address: 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA - Phone #: 562-437-3785). The weekly show is presented by Coffee Haven and the Elemental Tribal Dance Company and features dancers of varying styles, with occasional "theme nights" for added excitement - all in a cozy, comfortable atmosphere. If you're in the area and you want some great entertainment and great coffee, come and check it out! Admission is FREE, but Plutonian Shore asks you to please support these extraordinary performers. Gratuity/donation is encouraged! For more information visit www.elementaltribal.com.

Best witches and pleasant screams for Halloween 2004! Plutonian Shore wishes all a fun, safe, and spooky time during their favorite holiday!

Coming Soon To The Macabre Files Of Dr. Mordred!: Right on the heels (or claws) of Halloween… Look for exciting, new updates and additions to the Dr. Mordred "sub-site". New articles, profiles, pictures and interviews…PLUS, a very special interview with writer/director Donald F. Glut, who's written and contributed to numerous Sci-Fi and Horror genre books, magazines, comic books, T.V. shows and films. Aside from his many achievements in film and written works, he's also a noted dinosaur expert! Look for the extensive, in-depth interview with Don appearing soon in The Macabre Files Of Dr. Mordred!

Marguerite & Alexiis Featured On Coins & Gossamer: Plutonian Shore is pleased to announce that the fabulous Marguerite and Alexiis will be featured guest performers on the upcoming Coins & Gossamer album. "The album is still in the writing stages at this time… Only a few tracks are finished and were included on the Sneak Preview CD that was (recently) put together to show people", said Michael. "The best is still to come with Marguerite and Alexiis. We're extremely thrilled and anxious to work with these two amazing performers. They'll bring a lot to this album and give it a real breath of life." For more information about Marguerite and Alexiis, visit their websites at: www.gypsymagic.com (for Marguerite) and www.alexiis.com (for Alexiis)!

Sunday Shimmy Showcase At Coffee Haven & Anaheed's Perfumes Of Araby Swap Meet: Good fun was had by all who attended Anaheed's Perfumes Of Araby Swap Meet in Granada Hills on Sunday the 8th. Plutonian Shore co-founders Sean Mulligan and Michael Dawson were on hand at the Lost Treasures table along with Siren, who was busy showing her jewelry designs until it was time for her and dance partner Sujata to perform. The two performed their own original choreography to a huge crowd of audience members, vendors and other onlookers. Their first routine was an exciting duet to the song, Conjurer, a new track that will be featured on the upcoming Coins & Gossamer CD. Sujata performed a sultry solo of her own, with Siren finishing up performing an energetic solo to Kebîr Medîna, another track off of the upcoming Plutonian Shore album. There were many performers dancing all day long, including Kaja, Chase, Amara, Kamaal, Catharae & The Mystic Amars, Indigo, Anisa's Class & Troupe, Rashida Sabaa, Meryem Vani and many other great dancers. Sean and Michael were pleased to receive positive feedback from listeners of the Coins & Gossamer Sneak Preview CD, and look forward to completing the album.

The Sunday Shimmy Showcase At Coffee Haven in Long Beach on Sunday the 1st was also a success, as Siren and Sujata helped to debut new music from Coins & Gossamer with their original dance routines. Alexiis executed another dazzling performance, as did all of the other excellent dancers that were there: Abraiha, Maarija, Meryem Vani, and Zahirah. The Sunday Shimmy Showcase is an ongoing event that happens every Sunday evening at Coffee Haven (address: 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA - Phone #: 562-437-3785). The weekly show is presented by Coffee Haven and the Elemental Tribal Dance Company and features dancers of varying styles, with occasional "theme nights" for added excitement - all in a cozy, comfortable atmosphere. If you're in the area and you want some great entertainment and great coffee, come and check it out! Admission is FREE, but Plutonian Shore asks you to please support these extraordinary performers. Gratuity/donations are encouraged! For more information visit www.elementaltribal.com.

Coins & Gossamer - New Music For Bellydancers: Plutonian Shore is currently composing the music for their next full-length studio album, Coins & Gossamer, a collection of original music specially produced for Bellydancers, Tribal, Fusion and other Oriental Dance Stylists. Coins & Gossamer will feature a unique blend of traditional Middle-Eastern styles with other ethnic and modern musical influences. The project was the idea of Plutonian Shore's Michael Dawson: "Much of Plutonian Shore's music has distinct Middle-Eastern and ethnic flavors, but with a more modern, 'fusion' approach. The music also seems to lend itself to a visual medium, so I thought it would be interesting to write something for (Belly)dancers." Michael went on to say "The public's general conception of Bellydancing is often based on what they've seen in the movies or on T.V. Occasionally, you might see some (dancers) at a local restaurant that serves Middle-Eastern cuisine. Bellydancing…or raqs sharki…is not only part of many cultures in the Far East, but it has a culture of its own right here in the U.S., with more than several 'offshoot' styles. There are many women who practice it for exercise, spirituality, and entertainment. As I'm married to a Bellydancer, I've been privileged to get some measure of insight into this 'world'. Through my wife, I've received quite an education and she's inspired me to do this project. I'm hoping to bring more awareness to this exotic art…and of course, make a musical contribution that will inspire those who are involved in it." Not to exclude the fans of Plutonian Shore's Arcana, Michael continued, "I don't think 'regular' listeners of Plutonian Shore will be disappointed. While Arcana presented many contrasting genres and styles, Coins & Gossamer has more of a thematic 'common thread', possessing more of an exotic flavor similar to songs like The Golden Veil, Time And Tide, and The Mountains Of Heaven. I think that the new album will musically stand on its own and will be of interest to anyone who liked Arcana."

Michael Dawson is also very pleased to announce the return of Plutonian Shore co-founder Sean Mulligan as he lends his talents on the production of Coins & Gossamer. Although Sean is still actively involved in his own graphic design career, he will be working on Coins & Gossamer and other select projects in the future. "His involvement in Plutonian Shore will vary from project to project.", says Michael. "He may serve as a performer or session player on one song or an entire project, or he may contribute in the writing process, co-produce, or even do some design work. It will all depend on the project, its needs, and Sean's availability. Some projects he won't be involved with at all, although since his 'departure', I've consulted with Sean on almost everything I've done with Plutonian Shore and other creative projects. We're trying to make things more flexible so that he can still be involved while not compromising his other career. I'm very happy to be working with him again. I'm still interested in working with other musicians and vocalists in the studio, and that will actually help keep things flexible. I think this new arrangement will enhance Plutonian Shore's creativity and productivity…which is good for me, Sean, and all of our listeners-at-large." Sean Mulligan has recently formed his own graphic design company known as Oroboros Design (www.oroboros-design.com), that deals with print, website, and multimedia design. Sean is excited to be able to continue creating and producing music in addition to his work in graphic design.

The new album will also feature special guest performances and creative contributions of Bellydancers and Middle-Eastern-style musicians. The music of Coins & Gossamer has already been touted as "Peter Gabriel meets Vangelis - with a Middle-Eastern twist", and will offer exciting new material to the Bellydancing community. Coins & Gossamer is slated for an October release this year, and will be available here on the Official Plutonian Shore Website, Siren's Lost Treasures website (www.laughingsage.com/losttreasures), and other select outlets. The album will also be available at certain upcoming Bellydancing events and venues. Please check back here for more album updates and information!

Bellydancing To Plutonian Shore: Bellydancers Siren and Sujata will be performing to two tracks from the upcoming Coins & Gossamer album. They will be performing 7:00PM August 1st at the Sunday Shimmy Showcase at Coffee Haven (address: 1708 E. Broadway, Long Beach, CA - Phone #: 562-437-3785). There will also be thrilling performances by Abraiha, Maarija, Meryem Vani, Zahirah and the incredible Alexiis! The Sunday Shimmy Showcase is normally presented every Sunday at 7:00PM by Coffee Haven and the Elemental Tribal Dance Company. The weekly show features dancers of varying styles, with occasional "theme nights" for added excitement - all in a cozy, comfortable atmosphere. If you're in the area and you want some great entertainment and great coffee, come and check it out! Admission is FREE, but Plutonian Shore asks that you please support these extraordinary performers. Gratuity/donations are encouraged! For more information visit www.elementaltribal.com. Michael Dawson will be providing the live sound for the Sunday Shimmy Showcase for most of the performances, beginning with this August 1st performance.

Coins & Gossamer Sneak Preview: Come and listen to the special Coins & Gossamer Sneak Preview CD 12:30-6:30PM Sunday, August 8th at Anaheed's Perfumes Of Araby Swap Meet (address: Granada Pavilion, 11128 Balboa Blvd. Granada Hills, CA - 1/4 mile south of 118 fwy., corner of Balboa and San Fernando Mission Road, behind Trader Joe's). Michael Dawson & Sean Mulligan of Plutonian Shore will be there along with Bellydancer Siren of Lost Treasures - jewelry designs for Bellydancers and everyday wear. Come visit them at their table and say hello! There are wonderful performances happening all-day-long, including another performance by Siren and Sujata. If you miss(ed) their Coffee Haven performance on August 1st, there's still time to catch them performing to music from the upcoming Coins & Gossamer album! Anaheed's Perfumes Of Araby Swap Meet is a great event for Bellydancers, Tribal, Fusion and other Oriental-style dancers and those who are interested in this beautiful art. Twice a year (usually in Spring and Fall), the Perfumes Of Araby put on a lively day of swapping, shopping, and dancing! Admission is only $2.00! Please check out www.anaheed.com for more information. For more information about Lost Treasures original jewelry designs, please visit www.laughingsage.com/losttreasures.

Learn Bellydancing From One Of The Best: Those interested in learning the art of Bellydance - and living in the South Bay area of Southern California - should check out Marguerite - world-class performer and teacher with 20 years of professional performance experience. She is a qualified instructor with an MA degree in cultural studies and specializes in techniques for American and Oriental/Egyptian dance styles. Marguerite covers everything including the basics, correct posture, intermediate and advanced techniques, combinations, props, cultural info and more. She is known for giving loads of personal attention to her students. Bellydancers Siren and Sujata are both avid students of Marguerite and they highly recommend her! Students will also be treated to great guest musicians and instructors. Marguerite offers regular classes in Torrance, Hermosa Beach and Lawndale. Visit www.gyspymagic.com for class and workshop schedules, locations, performance dates and more information, or call: (310) 370-5155.

Portents Update: Plutonian Shore is pleased to announce that the long-awaited orchestral music project Portents will finally be available as a Special Limited Series album January 2005. Although it is technically the next Plutonian Shore release, a decision was made to have the album released after the upcoming Coins & Gossamer (see the news item above). The album will be available here on the Official Plutonian Shore Website and other select retail outlets. Portents will be officially known as Plutonian Shore's third studio album and contains all-new, previously unreleased music.

Kung-Fu And Tai Chi Lessons: Michael Dawson is formally offering kung-fu and Tai Chi lessons to the public once again. "Although I've had a small group that I work with on the weekends for a while now, I wanted to put more time into teaching kung-fu and Tai Chi, which is one of my primary interests alongside music.", he said. "I feel there is a need for me and teach more often and to be more accessible.", he continued. "There are a lot of benefits that can really make a difference for people of all types…young, old, male, female, out-of-shape, in-shape, or what-have-you. I want to perpetuate the art as I know it and share it with as many people as I can." On his own personal teaching style and philosophy, he added: "I believe I have a very grounded way of teaching. I've been exposed to very traditional training and also very modern, or 'Westernized' ways of doing things. I think both styles have merit. I think and process things traditionally, but I explain things with more contemporary methods. I try to demystify the art and show what students really need to focus on to experience all of the benefits and improve their training…without losing touch with the art itself. It's not magic nor is it about power. It's about making you a better person…both mentally, physically and even spiritually…although I'm not talking about religion or the supernatural when I use the word, 'spiritually'. One of my teachers used to say that it's about 'maximizing your life while minimizing your stress and effort'. Sounds like a catch phrase one would hear at a self-improvement seminar, but it's true nonetheless. I've been teaching for a while now, and the more I do it, the better a teacher I become. I learn a lot from my own students...from the questions they ask and listening to their perspectives. From this input, one discovers which methods and examples work and which ones don't. I'm also the type of teacher that prefers to show students by example. I'm not a coach. I don't believe in standing idly counting off punches, kicks and drills while your students are working their proverbial tails off. Whenever possible, I like to be right alongside them and show that I can 'practice what I preach'. There are some great schools and instructors out there, but there are also many martial art instructors who are lazy teachers. I've seen some teachers who'll have an advanced student teach for them in their stead. They may make the odd 'appearance' on the training floor, or just watch a class from the sidelines while their subordinate takes the students through their paces. I could never do that. As a teacher, it is your responsibility to match or exceed your student's energy and desire to learn. You have to be there for your students. Anything less would be short-changing your students and ultimately, yourself. It's also important to promote a positive, healthy learning atmosphere that's free of negativity and aggression. The class should be a sanctuary for the student. It should be a time and place where students can feel safe, relaxed and good about themselves and what they're doing. Students should feel support and be undistracted from any day-to-day woes they may have." Michael will be offering group and private classes in the South Bay area of Southern California through his Northern Shaolin/Praying Mantis Kung-Fu Association. He will be offering authentic, traditional instruction in Northern Shaolin, Seven-Star and Tai Chi Praying Mantis kung-fu, along with various styles of Tai Chi Chuan and other Internal systems. Specialized training in Chi Kung and traditional weaponry will also be offered. Students receive instruction tailored to their individual needs and goals. Size, sex and age are not limiting factors. Women do especially well in the Northern system because of its grace, flexibility and dance-like movements. Children benefit greatly from the discipline, coordination, concentration and self-confidence they develop. Anyone over 5 years-old may learn. There are no contracts and no additional fees for evaluations/testing. The production of DVD Video Reference Guides - which will be provided to each student to use as supplemental training aids - are now in the works. These DVD-Videos will be produced in association with Dark Tower Productions. A new website for the Northern Shaolin/Praying Mantis Kung-Fu Association is under construction and will be completed within a few months. The website will include class and workshop schedules, photos, news, training tips and general information about the various styles taught. Other items of interest will be added later, such an online guide to choosing a good martial arts school. Those interested may view the new website at: www.laughingsage.com/kung-fu. You can also check out the Kung Fu Connection page on this website.

Plutonian Shore co-founder Sean Mulligan has decided to resign from the collaborative entity as of March 10, 2003. Sean has been the guitarist and bassist for the "band" for over 7 years, co-producing numerous projects along with co-founder Michael Dawson, including 1998's commercial release Arcana. Sean has also elected to resign from Echelon Entertainment, the music label and publishing company he founded with Michael Dawson in 1997. Sean's plans for the future include pursuing a career in website and graphic design. Michael stated that although Sean's creative contributions will be sorely missed, both Plutonian Shore and Echelon Entertainment would continue on. Many of the duo's previously planned projects will also resume. Regarding his departure from Plutonian Shore and Echelon Entertainment, Sean issued this statement: "My participation in Plutonian Shore was a great experience, a time which I will look back upon with happiness and pride of accomplishment. Unfortunately, the increasing demands on my time and resources of my developing career in graphic design has made it necessary for me to withdraw from it. The concepts we developed as Plutonian Shore and Echelon are worthwhile and I'm pleased that Michael has decided to carry on with them in my absence. I have the utmost respect for him as a musician, as a business partner, and as a friend. I wish him well-deserved success and happiness with Plutonian Shore and any and all future projects." In a recent statement given by Michael Dawson, he had this to say about his partner's departure: "I'm supportive of Sean's decision to leave and turn to different paths. I'm sorry to see him go, but his departure from both Plutonian Shore and Echelon Entertainment is amicable and without rancor. He's a very creative person; a great composer and musician. We both musically communed with each other very well, and I believe this marks the end of an era for both of us. For nearly a decade before the birth of Plutonian Shore, we wrote, played and recorded music together in various bands and incarnations. We began our collaboration as friends and it will be ended as friends. That friendship will always remain, and his contributions will continue to be acknowledged in the annals of Plutonian Shore. I truly wish him all the best in all his future endeavors." There are plans in the making to search for a new guitarist and bassist, and possibly one or more vocalists for certain projects. These plans were actually made before Sean made the announcement of his departure, and the search for new Plutonian Shore members will be conducted in the near future. Look for any future updates and new developments right here in the Shorelines news section.

Michael Dawson was mentioned for his work on The Scorpion King by The Rock in the May issue of Starlog magazine (#298) and can be seen in various guises assaulting The Rock, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Sherri Howard in the film. Universal's The Scorpion King opened in theaters nationwide April 19th and grossed over 36 million at the box office during the first opening weekend - the largest opening in history for an April release.