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Post AlternativeThe New Faces of Alternative Rock Home About An Interview with DOTMIG April 18, 2008 Written by Kyrby Raine Believe it: One of the most intoxicating, absolutely infectious albums of the year is the beer-splashed and crazily versatile Sexy-N-Lean from DOTMIG, otherwise known as New Yorker Steven A. Mignoli. Leap-frogging from heavy metal to blues to Americana, Sexy-N-Lean reinvents the rock & roll wheel, bravely shifting musical styles without jarring the listener but instead reeling us in for a night of non-stop entertainment. DOTMIG recently spoke to me about his career and emotionally rejuvenating CD. Kyrby Raine: What does DOTMIG mean? DOTMIG: A wall street term I consider as hot commodity. Raine: Or represent? DOTMIG: [And] will develop into a hedge fund. Raine: Your music is incredibly eclectic, shifting from one genre to another. Where does this versatility originate from? DOTMIG: I went to a lot of concerts; my girlfriend’s father owned a big ticket agency. She had every venue in the tri-state area for free and kick-ass seats for every show. My zodiac sign of Sagittarius plays a large part in my versatility. Always going on impulse and not looking over my shoulder enough. When I was hanging out with my friends I grew up with, it was classic rock: the Rolling Stones, the Who, Led Zeppelin. Then came Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Posion, etc. But with chicks it was dance, disco, Bryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen. I couldn’t help it. I just love all types of music. But back then, you don’t tell your friends you like club music unless they were Hispanic. My high school was made up predominately of Cuban descent. So club music was born, and DOTMIG likes to dance. Raine: How has the music scene in new york influenced your work? DOTMIG: Not so much the music scene. My style is unique and fueled by New York City, but not influenced by other bands in the area. I’m not bragging at all. Talent is everywhere. It depends on how you market your product. Big city big dream living in the mecca, a metropolis of art and culture. Creatively influenced is the easy part. Getting published is the hard part. Raine: What songs on Sexy-N-Lean have the most meaning for you? DOTMIG: OK, let’s start with anger management. “Back With A Vengeance” gave me a chance to really express how I was feeling inside. I had so much anger built up and frustration. So I started the first verse with my mom and my sibling and blasted them in the lyrics. Followed by the pre-chorus and then the hook. “Back With A Vengeance” is my anthem to the music industry as well. I’m here to stay. “Going to the Top” has always been my motto: If you want the best in life, you have to earn it - there’s no free rides. I’m still paying for mine. I work real hard in every project I start so “Going To The Top” is where I plan to be. “Dive Bar” has a comical theme and a business background I grew up in. My dad took me to work at a young age in the beverage industry, which is still owned and operated by my family. We have Dive Bar accounts in downtown Jersey City, and I have been to every one of them since the age 21. Raine: There seems to be an interesting tale behind “She’s My Muse.” Who — or what — is it about? DOTMIG: This is my tale of who my muse was? I met a girl from California named Diana who believed in me. I was not in the music industry when we met. I was producing a cable commercial for the family business. Hoboken Beer and Soda outlet in Hoboken, New Jersey. Diana helped with the script, and we incorporated a rock scene. She insisted for me to play the lead. It went well and gave me confidence. Diana was by my side for the next four years, and DOTMIG was born.

Reviewed by Kit Burns There's nothing better in chilly, rain-soaked weather than, well, an album that will remind you of the sun-drenched days of summer. Sexy-N-Lean, from the artist known as DOTMIG, functions as the most invigorating alternative to these gloomy times. While the modern-rock airwaves are packed from top to bottom with the black-clad and manic depressive, DOTMIG delivers a funny, toe-tapping romp with speaker-blowing guitars and positively good times. Even better, DOTMIG never sticks to just one style; the amount of musical variety of Sexy-N-Lean gives the CD additional reasons for repeated spins. You'll never get tired of it because DOTMIG has enough creativity to fill several records and not just one. "333 River Street" is the kind of punk singalong that you'd imagine the mosh pits going wild to at CBGB's. It's a blast of energy and party-animal enthusiasm that sounds best cranked in the car at high speed. The title track is exactly what you'd expect, a classic FM rocker with a good-natured sense of humor. You'll find yourself humming it long after its played. But then DOTMIG stuns us with the blues and country stylings of "Dive Bar" and the adult-alternative feel of the lovely "She's Lying." The production is crisp and clear with hooks galore throughout the album. http://www.dotmigmusic.com Reviewed by Kit Burns - Overground Underground (Dec 8, 2007) Whisperin & Hollerin Reviewing: Sexy-N-Lean

Whisperin & Hollerin Reviewing: Sexy-N-Lean This Review 'DOTMIG' 'Sexy-N-Lean' - Genre: 'Rock' - Release Date: '2007' Our Rating: 8 out 10 stars Any album with a title with a title that reminds you of '80s spandex metal is certainly an attention-getter in these glum-rock days. Throwing all subtlety - and political correctness, thank you - to the lions, DOTMIG (http://www.dotmig.com) rips through a collection of punk, classic rock, pub anthems, and even a blues number. The only connecting thread, if you were to search for one, would be the lyrical wit of vocalist/songwriter/producer DOTMIG himself, who yelps, "Nobody's allowed to wear a tie at the dive bar!" on "Dive Bar." As you can probably tell, this is a pretty crazy record, and we all need a little nuttiness and fun once in a while. The alcohol-fueled chants on "333 River Street" makes you want to join in even though you have no idea what the hell they're talking about. (It must be a New York reference that us Britons cannot grasp, Americans' revenge for exporting Monty Python to them.) At times, I can feel DOTMIG trying to channel the Ramones; this is especially true of "333 River Street," especially the urgent drumming. But, to be frank, DOTMIG jets into so many different directions that it's hard to compare him with any single act. It's like he threw various musical styles into a blender and told us to drink up, no questions asked. Fine with me. I haven't been drunk in a while, and DOTMIG has just given me an excuse before the holidays. author: Adam Harrington ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- author: Adam Harrington - Whisperin & Hollerin (Nov 22, 2007)

Reviewed by Kyrby Raine If the Ramones were fronted by the late Bon Scott of AC/DC and crashed Black Flag’s “TV Party,” you’d have “333 River Street,” the opening fireball shout-a-thon on DOTMIG’s oddly unpredictable Sexy-N-Lean. Party anthem aren’t dead after all, especially in the punk-rock world which has become increasingly whiny. But are DOTMIG punk rock? If you feel that punk shouldn’t have boundaries, that the whole idea of punk is to liberate ourselves from any restrictions whatsoever then, yes, DOTMIG are punk. If you a purist and believe that punk should sound a certain way then DOTMIG might confuse you. As you can tell from the comparison above, which landlocked the Ramones, AC/DC, and Black Flag on a single island, DOTMIG are somewhat irreverent. Also, I am referring to DOTMIG as a group here when it’s actually a person, but given that Sexy-N-Lean has a definite band sound (albeit a schizophrenic one), I feel that the category applies. For example, the title track is a Big Rock Song not too far off from Spinal Tap; calling DOTMIG a ’singer/songwriter’ after that would be misleading. One could imagine Hawaiian Tropic utilizing that tune although it might be a tad too racy for them. The betrayed emotions of “She’s Lying” breaks free from the drunken chants with its summer-stained acoustic riffs while “Dive Bar” strangely enters blues territory. You won’t find too much in common with the songs although DOTMIG does recall Scott again on “Back With a Vengeance.” Official Website: http://www.dotmig.com Reviewed by Kyrby Raine - http://www.shotgunreviews.com/ (Nov 22, 2007)

Goin' to the top Hoboken musician reaches for success with party album By: Madeline Friedman, Current staff writer 01/25/2007 Email to a friendPost a CommentPrinter-friendly Musicians can have many muses. They can be people that have touched them in a special way, or events that marked their lives. Often just a location can serve as a source of inspiration. In Steven Mignoli's case, it was an apartment in one of Hoboken's luxury waterfront high rises that got the creative juices flowing. Mignoli, a Hoboken-based rapper/singer/songwriter who goes by the alias DOTMIG, got all his ideas from a two-terrace, one bedroom apartment at 333 River Street. "Every song came from that view and that location," Mignoli, said. "I used to watch the sunrise there, staying up writing until way past 4:30 in the morning." Location, location While Springsteen's songs echoed with the working class heroes of Asbury Park's waterfront, the hard-working, hard-partying young professionals of Hoboken's gold coast will surely identify with Mignoli's good time songs. The album is packed with catchy party anthems, such as the hard-rocking "Goin' to the top," and the title track, "333 River Street," about a happening house party. Unfortunately Mignoli recently had to abandon his River Street address due to neighbor complaints about his dogs' barking. But he didn't take it too badly. "The dogs knew that it was time to go," he said, referring to his pets Gram and Lexi. "They were doing us a favor." Advertisement Cybersexy Mignoli is now putting the final touches on his album, "333 River Street," which is slated to be released in February. He is also wrapping up a music video for the sultry R&B ballad "Sexy and Lean," a love song dedicated to his girlfriend of over three years, Diana Pabon. The two met at City Bistro. "The song is about how we met and things just took off," he said. The video for "Sexy and Lean," like the video for "Dive Bar," a bluesy tribute to tawdry taverns, will be posted on MySpace and YouTube. DOTMIG has well over 3,500 friends on MySpace, with the video for "Dive bar" having gotten over 10,000 plays. Rolling Stone magazine recently recognized the fact that many musicians like Mignoli are now launching careers via the popular internet sites and ran a contest for best MySpace musician. Mignoli did not win, but got an overwhelming number of responses. "Rolling Stone e-mailed us and said 'your fan responses were rabid,'" he said. "Tons of people wrote in." Beginnings "When I was younger I listened to a lot of rock," said Mignoli. "The Who, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Doors...Then dance music came into the picture." After the overwhelming success of the movie and the music of "Saturday Night Fever," Mignoli recognized the importance of incorporating dance into a musical act. "I took jazz classes to prep myself as a dance act and a track artist," he said. "I really wanted to record a dance song." In 1989 he recorded his very first song, a freestyle tune called "Get up and dance." He performed another song, "You'll be mine," at clubs such as Fuego in Spanish Harlem and the former Passions in North Bergen, as part of the group MPK. But things went sour with his small indie label and things didn't really take off. "I was very disappointed because I spent a lot of time and money," he said. "It was the first thing that I really failed at, where I felt the pain of not seeing the results I wanted to see." So he threw himself back into his work at the Hoboken Beer and Soda outlet, the business that his parents, Joe and Ann Mignoli started in 1975. Back at it In the past couple of years one of Mignoli's chief responsibilities has been to produce the seasonal commercials for the drive-through liquor store on Newark Street. Making the videos, he said, made him want to make music again. "I did a rocking' shot for Halloween and I got a real buzz off it," he said. "I called Frank (Diaz, his producer) and we did another track. All of a sudden there was an album." He started writing again, this time incorporating more pop, R&B and rock into his sound. He also took up the guitar. The first result was the single "Miami," about his experiences going out to the clubs on South Beach. The song has been available on CD Baby and Itunes since this past September. What's next? The self-described "entertainer extraordinaire," recently took a leave of absence from the family business to focus his full efforts on his musical career. He decided that he didn't want to juggle all-night writing sessions with the demands of a full time job. "It locks you down too much," he said. Once he's finished with the album, Mignoli said he will change gears to start focusing on booking live performances. But he'll also keep writing. There are too many ideas around for him to stop. "Day to day things inspire me," he said. "I could probably write a song about this very moment later on." Mignoli plans to release his album in February. For samples of DOTMIG's music, visit: www.dotmig.com or MySpace. ©The Hudson Reporter 2007 MADELNE FRIEDMAN - CURRENT MAGAZINE HOBOKEN NJ (Feb 10, 2007)