Famous music producer dies in a car accident apparently after a night of heavy drinking at “The Sutton Club” in Barcelona, Spain. 

Ruben Taype-Colffer, known as “The Sound” and also for his reserved behavior, was killed early Sunday morning when his 2010 Chevy Camaro SSX flew over a sharp turn at 200 miles per hour, slammed into a tree and burst into flames, according to local police.

Officials say the cause of the accident may have been due to street racing, as eyewitness sheriff Manuel Campos says: “I saw two cars zip by me at an extremely fast pace that I knew something bad was going to happen.  As I began the pursuit, I  heard a big explosion and saw smoke covering the sky.”

The Sound, 35 at the time, was identified by his tattoos, according to an anonymous witness who was at the scene when the body was being pulled from the wreckage.

A native from Peru, came to America at age 15 and quickly adapted while in High School for his music taste and guitar skills.  After graduating with average grades, he got into the music production program at Bergen Community College, but ended up obtaining an Associate in Science.  It is during this time where he meets Apolonia Kiedis, a psychology major student at Fordham University in New York.  Kiedis, having a greek and italian background, spoke fluently both languages and the Sound quickly learned both as well.  

The Sound and Kiedis moved in together in a small basement apartment, where he turned one of the main rooms into a music studio and it is here where he produces his first hit “Good Times” at the age of 18, together with his old high school band;  “The Porch Birds.”  The song stays first on the Billboard for over 3 months, but the band is unable to write another hit song.  Having experienced fame and popularity at such a young age, The Sound have more plans, so he quits the band and starts working on his own.   

He dedicates so much time to his work that the relationship with Apolonia starts to deteriorate. The Sound starts producing a local band whose female singer, Giu Mazzeli is known for her wild and outrageous behavior, and he reaches another hit called “Never You.”  With the money he made before, he put out the songs on his new label “Sound Records,”  and paid himself so there was much more profits and revenues.

The Sound is seen in the news with Mazzeli and this finishes the relationship with Kiedis.

In 2006 he moves to California and opens another franchise in Hollywood.  He gets a house in Beverly Hills next year and becomes 2007 Youngest Millionaire at age 22.  Eventually he marries Mazzeli at a beautiful exotic beach in Montego Bay, Jamaica.  The wedding is broadcasted live on TV and it becomes one of the biggest events that year.  Sadly after only 3 months, The Sound files for divorce after Mazzeli apparently tried to kill him by firing a gunshot the morning of May 19, 2007.  Rumor has it that he was seen in the newspapers with different girls at a local bar in Hollywood.

Tired of all the press and the stress from work and having to know fluent italian and greek, he decides to move to Europe.  He takes a few months off and stays in Greece where he writes his first and only book titled “No Brakes!” an autobiography that only in a few days became a best-seller in different countries.  

Then he moves to Italy and studies Theology as a hobby.  In 2011 he gets his Masters in Communication from L’Università di Roma and eventually marries Nicoletta Prego, an italian student that he met in the beginning of the semester.  

In one of his business trips back to California, he finds out that Mazzoli had killed herself with antidepressants and that they had a child together, Marco, who was 5 back then.  The Sound takes Marco back to Italy and admits full responsibility of the child.  

In 2014, °Sound Records° becomes a multi-millionaire company and that same year Nicoletta gives birth to twins Nikos and Leo.  

The family moves to Barcelona, Spain after The Sound purchases Barcelona FC,  known as the best soccer team in the world.  In this period of time Nicoletta becomes depressive and self destructed and tries to take her own live after hearing rumors of her husband having an affair with a bartender from the “Sutton Club” one of the most prestigious clubs in Barcelona.  

Eventually few months later, the press found out that The Sound had a child with bartender Jennifer Navarro (23) and the scandal was all over the media.  In the morning of 2017, according to witnesses, Nicoletta Prego had gone to “The Sutton Club” carrying a gun looking for her husband.  Apparently she had seen him with Navarro and fired 2 shots at them.  Prego shot The Sound in the chest while he was rushing to his car, a 2010 Chevy Camaro SSX, and began to chase him.  The fatal accident happened few minutes later in the La Via Highway 45.

Ruben Taype-Colffer is survived by his 4 children who all declared to the press that their father was always there for them, and that even though he was always followed by scandal, he was a wonderful parent.

My first choice has to be Spain.  Even though I was born in Peru, I consider Spain my Mother Country because of the language and also since Peru was founded by Spain, Spanish blood runs through my veins.  I have always admired the Spanish culture; the many dialects people speak in different areas, Valencian, Galician, Catalan.  These dialects are so interesting because they are just a mix of Italian and French, so if you are familiar with any of these languages, you can clearly understand the dialects!

Also, Soccer is passion there.  Spaniards breathe soccer every second of their lives, and since I am a Barcelona fan (one of the biggest soccer teams in Spain) I wouldn’t mind seeing a couple of games when I get there.  The way they broadcast the Spanish League makes it so interesting, the reporters trying to get a hold of the best players, the coaches talking to the press after a big game, the passion every time the two biggest teams in Spain face each other in the field, and they all speak in this perfect Spanish, very melodic, with this peculiar accent; gets the best out of the beautiful game.

Italy it’s my next stop, being the main reason that I could practice my Italian and hear everyday how the most beautiful language is spoken correctly.  Now take a moment and think of all the places you can visit in Italy.  Think of the million museums you can check out, all the famous paintings, the Colosseum, one of the greatest work in roman architecture and engineering, just imagine all the gladiator battles fought in there, all the executions, all the dramas based on Greek mythology.

Now I am not a religious person at all, in fact I consider myself an agnostic, but I would still love to visit Vatican City.  Again, architecture stands out in this beautiful city, but also faith.  Vatican city it’s a monarchical state run by the Pope, who in this case plays the role of a president.  He is surrounded by all Catholic clergymen from all different parts of the world, wise men, very intelligent people that play the role of politicians.  It is like something taken out of a movie! A small country right in the heart of Italy containing St. Peter’s Basilica, the Sistine Chapel with works of Botticelli and Michelangelo, the Vatican Library, all the museums…

Last but not least it has to be the country I was born.  Even though I left Peru when I was a kid and spend all my high school and college experience in America, I believe I should know my background very well.  I have a few Peruvian friends and sometimes they talk about places to visit and things they have done in Peru, and I have no idea what they are talking about.  I have always known facts about my home country because of my father and also because I am a big fan of reading, but its not the same as being there and experience the country itself.  I want to get to know Lima, the capital, like the palm of my hand, all the culture, the city founded by Spaniards, the nightlife, Dj’s, then in the morning drive down to the beach, surf with some friends, then eat “ceviche” to get rid off our hangover, later have some drinks with friends you haven’t seen in a while, and just have a good time in general.  

I know, I need to start saving a lot of money!

iMovie Project

Audacity

My five most favorite possessions are..

My MacBook Pro,  this is just great.  You have no idea how much you can do with this computer.  If you are a laptop owner you are missing half of the technology in our society, and having a Mac even makes homework and assignments more fun because of the way its designed.  For example, to write assignments I use Pages, a fun-easy program that has the option of only displaying on the screen a sheet of paper with a black background, no bottoms, no apps, no options, so its helps you concentrate when it comes to writing, at leasts it helps me.  As a hobby I play music and I am able to connect my instruments to my Mac and record with all these new programs with great quality and audio.  Surfing the web has never been fun and faster.  Images are more clear and videos and audio are displayed in high quality;  but the most important thing is that you do not get Viruses on Mac Computers. Why?  Because Apple continually makes free security updates available for Mac owners, and you can even have them download automatically!  Cheers to that!

My acoustic guitar,  I own an all black acoustic Ibanez that I can plug into an amp as well.  It means a lot to me because it was one of the first things that I had to work hard to get it.  When I first came into this country I had to wait about 2 months for high school to start and in the meantime following my dads steps (because he is also a guitarist) , I purchased it.  Eventually I taught myself, and since then it has become one of my favorites hobbies.  Later on I got a piano and an electric guitar, but for me nothing sounds better that the acoustic guitar.  As a musician i appreciate all kinds of music, all genres, all types.  I believe music is the universal language, I can express my feelings, wether its happiness, sadness or even madness, I can expand my creativity also, and learn about other cultures.  At the same time music helps me relax; when having a bad day the sound of the strings always makes me forget about that annoying thing in the back of my head, and I feel good about myself.  

My cellphone,  sounds silly but come on, who does not have a cellphone nowadays?  This device has become part of us, from toddlers to grannies, everyone has a cellphone, and when they don’t, we look at them like they’re not from this century.  Ever tried reaching someone that doesn’t have a cellphone?  Home phone answering machine, really? or let’s say you don’t have one, and you need to write down someone’s number, wether is one of your friends that you just walked into, or some cute girl you’ve talking to,  so you reach your pocket and take out a notepad and a pen; are you serious? Cellphones not only help you when it comes to reaching people, but also keep track of e-mails from professors or a job that you just apply.  Now that phones have become “smartphones” I can even do my homework while i’m at work, doctor’s office, commuting, etc.  So wether we like it or not, cellphones have become part of our modern society.

My car,  as soon as I sat down and test drove an all black 2001 Acura 3.2 TL, I told myself:  “This is it.”  Main reason that I chose my car as one of my 5 favorite possessions its simply because New Jersey Transit is the worst!  I remember years ago checking the bus schedule online, trying to go to class, with a million books waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and Mr. Bus Driver would never come on time.  Maybe in other states is much easier and cheaper to move around with mass transportation, like New York for example, but in Northern New Jersey if you do not own a car you’d have to leave your house hours before to get to your destination on time.  I love my car, it helps me to get to work and school, saves me the stress of waiting for the bus, when it comes to long rides I can listen to music and relax, and it just helps you move around in general.  Be wise on choosing a car, it will become part of your everyday life, and I feel that I have made the right decision.  

A shoebox.  I have a shoebox full of letters and pictures of girls I had a life once with.  It doesn’t mean that I live in the past, or that I haven’t let go yet, to me it’s part of my life, part of growing up, part of learning something in your life; it just makes me feel alive.  I do not regret anything that happened in the past, to me everything happens for a reason and according to how you live your life.  I hope that one day i have no more space in that shoebox, and when I get old, with a belly and white hair, I would open that box and remember the good times.  Of course I don’t go around showing everybody what I have saved, I feel it is something personal, chapters in your life that taught you lessons. 

Here is an example of a character profile for my Journalism class.  I hope it helps!

WAYNE, N.J. (December1) - Some people say they are athletic, but the truth is that only a few really are.  Being athletic is being able to compete, to put on practice your cardio and your performance.  According to the Oxford Dictionary it means to be “physically strong, fit and active,” and these adjectives are the best way to describe senior forward Anthony Ferrer.

A native from South America, Ferrer came to the U.S at eight years old and settled in Lake Hiawatha, N.J., together with his family.  Growing up he discovered a talent on his legs with the ball that not everybody had, a talent that would add up to his soccer skills later on.  “I saw my uncles playing soccer when I was young, and when I first came to the U.S. I was about 8 years old and I remember my neighbors telling me they are going to go and do the try-outs to be in a soccer team, and it was actually right here in Paterson, we used to call it “The Carwash”, that’s where it all started.  Kicking the ball here and there, so I did the try outs, then select the teams and from there I’m still playing till now,”  said Ferrer.

With his 165 pounds and 6 feet tall, Ferrer has all the characteristics a forward needs.  Tall, fast, with the ability to peel off defenders and responsible for scoring goals, he always gives a hundred percent in the field.  “I play left mid and forward.  Coach Woods and I have talked about putting me as a left back where I can come off as the left back attacker, gives me more space, but i prefer left mid.  In college, with our team I wanted to play on top, I like playing forward, I feel that I get more involved in the game than what I do playing left mid,”  added Ferrer.

As an athlete, he is not only involved in soccer, but also in many other sports.  “I do play volleyball, basketball, tennis, football, whatever you want I make sure I will give you a competition in it.  I’m just very athletic so I like all sports,”  said Ferrer.  By practicing other sports, Ferrer has acquired a style that comes from all the sports that he’s played before.  “ Playing other sports have helped me develop my skills, definitely, like playing basketball, you sprint, it helps keep the endurance, it keeps you on your toes, so you have to make sure you’re constantly moving, it helps, like also with tennis, you have to work on your footwork, back and forth, so yeah other sports helps you improve your soccer skills,”  he added.

Having to live in a family where soccer was the primary sport to watch and play, Ferrer’s skills got better each day.  Uncles and cousins would play together in family reunions and weekends, and Ferrer would be the top scorer in the team.  He knew that there was a connection that was getting stronger.  “I wanted to try out for the basketball team for our high school but I never thought I’d be a starting player (that was very negative thoughts of me).  When it comes to football, a quarterback, I don’t have the body to be a quarterback, I didn’t start early you know, but I’m pretty sure that if I would’ve started working in those areas I would’ve been something in those sports, its just that soccer got my interest,”  he said, “From the moment i saw my dad play, my uncles, I had interest in it and once I started playing and kept getting better and better I just realized this is my sport, it was natural, it just came with me, sometimes you don’t force a kid to do something, my dad never forced me to play, he never thought I would like soccer, it  was just something that came natural, I mean, I love soccer, I’m very passionate for it,”  added Ferrer.

A fan of Lionel Messi, Barcelona’s forward and best soccer player in the world, and Carlos Valderrama, famous tactical colombian midfielder back in the 90’s, Ferrer accepts that ex Milan’s midfielder and currently Flamengo’s player is his number one choice when it comes to a soccer star he looks up to; “gotta love Ronaldinho Gaucho and his style, he is the man!”  Ferrer is also a big supporter of the MLS, the soccer league in the U.S.  He is a fan of the Redbulls for being a team from the area, and also enjoys watching the U.S National Team perform.  “I believe the team is improving little by little; you know, we are starting to bring the interest in players, and players are starting to develop more with the different cultures that we bring into the team and the style of playing is starting to change a little bit, specially now that we have a coach from Germany, and he is just going to bring a new style to the team. So I believe in a few years the U.S is going to be a contender, I mean right now we’re not a big powerhouse but we’re taking a big step,”  he said.

The Pioneers do not have a coach from Germany, but they do have New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Coach of the Year, Brian Woods.  The Pioneers earned their second NCAA Tournament bid in program history, reaching the second round of the 2010 tourney, while matching the school record with 14 victories (14-4-3) last season under Woods tutelage.  “At first I didn’t know much about him when I first came here, but after all these three years you can tell that he’ll do anything for his players, he is willing to sacrifice his life for us which is very hard to find on a coach, like a lot of coaches do not pay too much attention to every single player, but coach Woods does, he worries about every single one of us, whether you are a starter or not, and I appreciate that for him and he is willing to help us in whatever form he can,”  Ferrer said.

Getting his degree in Sociology this year, Ferrer always has soccer in his mind, “Soccer would always be on my future plans, the only way I would stop playing soccer is if my legs give out, other than that I’m still trying to pursue my dream to someday play professionally somewhere whether it is, top league, second division, its a dream that i want to accomplish, or at least try, so I know I wont have regrets in my life saying that I didn’t attempt to try it,” he said.  Sociology wasn’t his first choice, but eventually he found out it was what he wanted.  “I was actually an Exercise Science Major and I switched to Sociology ‘cause I feel with Sociology I don’t have too much restriction as I did with Exercise Science.  With sociology I can go out and actually help a group, with Exercise Science I’m only helping an individual.  In a way like if i was to be a gym teacher you’re given what they want you to show the children, instead with Sociology I could get my own personal info, work on my social skills, and actually sit down and talk to a person, with the other major you can’t do that, that is not your responsibility, your responsibility is to teach, and I want my responsibility to help,”  he said.

Ferrer looks away, stares at the school, the Student Center, the Library, and gets quiet for a moment.  “Im definetly going to miss being a Pioneer, I’m going to miss pre-season, coming into the dorms the first two weeks of August, and just being the hardest two weeks of your life, but the best thing about it is that you are in the best shape of your life during those moments, and I’m gonna miss that, joking around with my teammates, talking about the game, everything from the locker room ‘till you step on the field and hear the national anthem and the whistle blows, all those moments are going to be missed.”

“How many seconds do we have?”, asked a student picking up wires and making sure everything is plugged right.  “Fifteen”, answered another student coming in and out of the studio.  “…3, 2,1!” said Chris Carlo, one of the producers of the show.  

This is Jammin’ TV, a live music show which has local bands come on air and play live music for the William Paterson Community.  Jammin’ TV is perfectly run by students that also show great talent behind the scenes; even though they work under the pressure of broadcasting a live show, everything is always under control. 

  “The purpose of the show is just to get bands names out there and showcase unknown talent out to the public, and we have fun doing it,” said Mark Steinmetz, producer of the show as well, and together with Carlo, they run Jammin’ TV.   

This project started eight years ago giving chances to local bands of all kinds of music to be on live television.  Past episodes can be seen on YouTube and Ustream.tv, always with the cool fresh style that characterizes the show. 

  Jammin’ TV is on live every thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 P.M.  The intro of the show gives the viewer an actual feeling of being there by opening the doors of Studio A and having the stage right in front of you.  The show starts with the two hostesses, this semester Joy and Danielle, introducing the band and getting a brief description of them, followed by a few performances and then to commercial break.  After that the featured band plays a couple of songs again and then it is time for the interview.  Here is where the students get to know the band members, if they have any upcoming shows around the William Paterson University area, and also the band gets the chance to promote their websites, new cd’s, and social networking.  This usually lasts about five to six minutes and it ends with the catchy phrase:  “We put the jam on Jammin” 

  To be able to perform on stage live, the band featured needs to play only originals; covers are not allowed.  “The show goes on for an hour, but if the band is short on material, we can make it a thirty minute show”, said Steinmetz.  

  This project has been getting better every year.  Little by little the word is getting out there to the new students at William Paterson University.  The opportunity to perform is out there for everybody, all kinds of music, all different languages.  

  “We never had a multicultural show or music performed in a different language, but were looking to expand our horizons always.  Right now we get a lot of indie/alternative bands, but were not opposed on getting new music out there for the future.” added Steinmetz.

  And that is the reason why they put the jam in Jammin’!

so it is 4:22 am and I am wide awake.  I have to wake up in 2 hours for a long day of school and work, but I can go out for a run with all this energy i have! I’ve been dealing with insomnia for a while now so i’ll be fine.

books help

Buona notte!