In a musician's career, there are people who are working behind the scenes and helping to make things happen.  John Taylor is no exception.  One of those supporters in John's career is Candace Daneau (aka Xaxin and Hanson Ho').  Candace lends John a helping hand in just about any capacity, where it may be by selling merchandise at shows, taking pictures, writing for TTP, or by being humorous on the TTP message board.  She assists Gerry Laffy, John's lead guitarist in Terroristen, in his career ventures as well.  Join me now as I catch up with Candace in her busy, unpredictable, and hilarious life.

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Q/A:

What are your vital statistics?
2 out of 4 Duranies are insane.  3 out of 4 John fans are Duranies which means that 1.5 out of 4 John fans are insane...that's like 37 percent (Though I could be completely wrong in this, having failed the math entrance exam for college)!  Okay, sorry.  Do you mean like age, hair, and stuff?  I don't much see that as vital (the above wasn't quite either, but this is a site about John).  Anyway, I'm 5'2, 105 lbs, and 19 + 11 with brown hair (or whatever color I choose to hide the greys with) and brown eyes.  I like long walks on the beach, I'm a smoker, I drink lots of coffee, I go out clubbing too much...if you're a single, straight male with a steady job in the SoCal area and you have all your teeth please leave a message at box #26649.

What is your background?
Sort of a beige/white...I'm rather pale.  Okay, I went to a Vocational High School in Massachusetts and studied Fashion Design and then went on to flunk out of Framingham State College for personal (sickness in the family) and social reasons (I was having too much fun to attend class) - oh and I am currently looking for fellow FSC "art fag" Matt Cassidy.  Matt, if you're out there, e-mail me!!!  Anyway, I got a job in the fashion industry (Donna Jessica, Inc.) and did that for about 4.5 years.  When I left there, I did odd jobs in the industry and then realized I needed a steady income and got a job as a Tech Edu Coordinator at Silicon Graphics (Wow, this is getting long and boring-okay, to spice it up, I did a short stint making costuming for strippers and I actually filled in for a model in the brochure once, but they had to give me fake boobs because my A cup didn't cut it and a wig.  So, even if you did find the old catalog, you wouldn't know it was me.).  Did a lot of Tech Admin stuff...learning technical things along the way...pretty much is how I got here.

What inspires you?
True passion in another person.  Mostly in music and poetry, but it could be anything.  To see someone else moved by something really affects me.  The earth.  Looking at the trees and the clouds and just the world surrounding us.  Breathing, love, hate, anger, sadness, joy...all of it...that and good hair.  Oh and the "boy" on 7th Heaven (Barry Watson rroowwrr), he has damn good hair.

What are your interests (music, hobbies, and etc.)?
I do odd things on the side.   I write for www.thelamusicscene.com (reviewing local bands), write poetry, do poetry readings, and I am also involved in The People's Art Project, a non-profit organization that believes that everyone is and can be an artist if only they allow themselves to be:  www.peoplesartproject.org.  I just bought a Taylor Big Baby acoustic guitar (to go along with the Brownsville electric that Gerry gave me-it's sparkly red!!!).  And I swear some day I'll actually learn how to play.

How did your nicknames Xaxin and Hanson Ho' come about?
Xaxin.  Okay, I was a major geek and (well, I still am to a point) played Role Playing games since the 5th grade and only stopped when I moved to CA two years ago (you know D & D and Vampire the Masquerade).  In fact, I had a company called Dark Duality (they're still out there) that would run live action events at those geek gaming conventions all over the Northeast.  Anyway...My friends and I would have gaming day every Sunday and we decided to play this Battlelords of the (insert some future date because I can't remember) Century. I was playing some race that I can't remember either and decided that I needed a name with a lot of x's in it.  So, I came up with Xaxin Ulxari.  When I logged on to John's message board, we were playing that game at the time, so I figured what the heck.  I had no idea that for 3 years I would barely be called by my real name...

Hanson Ho.  I sort of grew out of Xaxin.  I had changed and "Xaxin" hadn't so, I needed to abandon it.  I became a big Hanson fan.  We lovingly refer to one another as hos, hookers, and other objectionable words, and there was the Ho....Soooo one day I just took up that name when posting pictures of the boys (0nly the two oldest, thank you, and they are both legal now - Ike was 2 years ago, so get off of my case, heh).

When and how did your collaboration with Gerry Laffy begin?
I met him in Boston.  He was so cool.  He called me Candy.  I remember the first words I said to the man was, "I am NOT Candy!," in a nice, mean, little growl.  He apologized later and I told him I wasn't really mad.  I love the guitar, always have.   I then followed the tour for a week down the east coast and got to know him a bit.  I sent him pix from the tour that I had taken and offered to do a web site for him.  I found out his background and was thrilled to find out he used to be in a glam rock band (Yay! - does kick ass air guitar solo.).  So at the Roxy in '98, he said, "yeah...do my web site," and there ya go.  I was just a real pesky fan.

What role do you play in  Gerry's career?None really.  Gerry's career is all his own doing with friends and family he's been with all of his life.  I just came in late in the game and helped to sell a few CDs.  I think he's an extremely talented musician and a wonderful guy and I just support him as much as possible and, when I have the time, do his web site.

Are you a John Taylor fan, and if so, for how long?  If not, how did you hear about John?
I was into Duran Duran at the early age of 12, I think.  You know, the whole wallpaper bit.  I even (I am really typing this?) carved Simon LeBon's initials into my arm (I was a very disturbed child!) with an exacto knife.  No, there are no scars.  Okay, so let the truth come out...I liked Simon the best and I always hated the blonde bangs.  Then and when John had them a couple of years ago...I mean, he still looked good and all, but...just whatever.  Anyway, I lost touch with the stuff for a while and then my friend told me they were coming around and would I go see them with her?  This was '97.  I was thrilled and went on about John, Simon, and Nick on stage (I had only seen them once in 1989 and I was so far away, I can't be sure it was REALLY them.) and she then told me that John had left DD.  I looked stuff up on the net and blam.

How did you meet Patty?
I stalked her.  I slept outside her house and sent her dead roses until she relented and became my friend.  Oh and there was the dog licking...

What kind of working relationship do you have with John and Patty?
I help out when I can.  I used to help with the order, shipping, and stuff, but I have a full time job now and I'm not as available.  I am the editor of the written part of the Cultural Soup page on TTP.  When John wants a review of something, they ask me.  Basically, if they want anything written that John doesn't have time for in that vain, they ask me to do it.  I have helped at the merch table and taken pictures for the site at clubs and rehearsals...those are the best.

I understand there's a joke on the TTP message board about John's butt-do you care to elaborate?
I plead the fifth (hides quarters).


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