Whispers

Local musician and singer-songwriter Joshua Polk—you can read his summer music picks here—has started a local artist and recording collective he is dubbing “Exploding God Heads.” Although the roster of artists isn’t yet set in stone, Polk has been holding monthly meetings with friends and other bands in an effort to boost the local music scene. Polk began the group in early April when he posted to this to Facebook page: “This perception of local music being always bad is demonstrably incorrect, and we have to take the position that what we do as Baton Rouge musicians is worth listening to, not merely by people who are in the scene, but by everyone.”

A stealthy Whispers informant overheard two film industry professionals discussing projects at a local PJ’s Coffee when one of them mentioned the impending arrival of Jurassic Park 4. Apparently familiar with the project, he mentioned having seen parts of the script and the fact that the Steven Spielberg production was looking not just at Celtic Media Centre, the local soundstage studio long-rumored to be hosting the dino sequel, but environments like wooded areas and even swamps for shooting the action film’s exterior scenes. Directed by Collin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed), Jurassic Park 4 is slated for a 2014 release.

When rising Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae earned a Grammy earlier this year, the Red Stick was in on the celebration. Lecrae’s manager and Reach Records founder Ben Washer is a Baton Rouge native and the son of local architect Russell Washer.

“After 10 years of working hard, winning the Grammy is definitely a milestone to celebrate,” Washer says. “Having a Grammy win definitely opens more doors and helps expose Lecrae and Reach Records to even more people.  It’s good to know others are seeing the impact Lecrae is having in the music scene and hip-hop culture.” reachrecords.com