ISSUE 2
EDITORIAL:
ante:
Contributors:
Contact:
Editor in Chief: Ava Nirui
Design/Art: Samuel Corlett Steph Tsimbourlas Emiel Saada Povi Pullinen
For all editorial needs: editorial@antemagazine.tv
Creative Director: Nina Harcus Advertising: Alexander Craig
All design enquiries and contacts: design@antemagazine.tv For anything PR or Advertising: advertising@antemagazine.tv
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ANY CREATIVE PROJECT, Any creative project, whether it be music, art or design, embraces elements of the physical place where it was cultivated. Generally, labels are matured in cities, drawing influences from more urban landscapes, people and ways of life. New Zealand’s homegrown label Lo.wer engages in the antithesis of this process. The label was bred in 2004 in Mt Maunganui, New Zealand, incorporating elements of such natural landscapes into its’ organic, novel design aaesthetic. “We have always thought that being out of the city has allowed us to come up with our own flavour.” Founder Jake Pyne notes. “The influence of a city is cool, but nice beaches and small communities are rad too. The Mount is a nice spot and I think it’s perfect for us.” Soaking in elements of surf culture, skate and alternative lifestyles, Lo.wer fuses together rudiments of street, splashed with a more laid-back and casual style. This ‘chilled out’ approach is all indicative of the subversive origins of the label, and its anti-consumerist ethic which is reflected in the modestly priced garments. “We wanted a brand that represented underground culture and anything that as
against the grain or anti establishment.” Pyne highlights. “I was born in a place called Gisborne here in NZ. Gizzy has amazing surf and my family spent a lot of time moving back and forth from California to Gisborne and then we moved to Hawaii for my teenage years. Surfing was a major part of my life, but I always liked to identify myself more as a skater. Skaters were cool, surfers were lame. We have always embraced snowboarding as a big influence for Lo.wer as well.”
WHETHER IT BE MUSIC, ART OR
DESIGN, EMBRACES ELEMENTS
OF THE PHYSICAL PLACE WHERE
This organic approach still lingers significantly, despite 7 years of evolution and growth of design through a melange of mediums. As a progression from a pastiche of 90s ‘hip-hop’ apparel, the Summer 11/12 collection maintains pieces of surf and street culture through quirky graphic tees, slouchy ponchos and cut-and-sow style garments. “When we first started out, we were all about five panel caps and shit that represented that underground hip hop scene.” Pyne states. “These days things have changed, the brand has gotten bigger, and we have grown up a little too, not so closed minded. To have a brand big enough to do
IT WAS CULTIVATED.
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more than a few caps, you have to diversify and have a few things going on.” Although the label does draw upon other styles, eras and culture scenes- ultimately, it had remained true to its own unique image from the beginning. though with each range, it channels a diverse style- the vision from the label, and attitude towards it’s execution stays completely grounded. “We appreciate brands and styles from all over the world.” Pyne explains. “We love traditional street wear brands like Supreme, but at the same time we like shit like Henrik Vibskov or APC from Europe and Australia’s fashion is on point, some of the best stuff in the world is coming out of Australia in my opinion. Our point of difference is that we try real hard to be our own thing, even though our brand is now quite commercial in NZ. Just because its big now, doesn’t mean that we can’t have pieces in every range that challenge the customer. We are still trying new shit, not just making heaps of what ever is selling at the time.” www.lower.co.nz
“TO HAVE A BRAND BIG ENOUGH TO DO MORE THAN A FEW CAPS, YOU HAVE TO DIVERSIFY AND HAVE A FEW THINGS GOING ON” ante | issue two
NEW YORK TIDE
SATURDAYS NYC
RY WAVE IS
Typically in Australia, we picture surfers as derailed 20-something year old, excessively brown dreadlocked bros, who smoke a fuckload of weed and say the word ‘dude’ a lot. Realistically, this image is essentially garbage when assessing high-end surf labels such as Saturdays NYC. Such fresh, smart surf-wear subverts our image of wax heads into one which actually values them as fashion inclined individuals. Although one would assume the beach scene in an urban city such as New York would be almost non-existent, we have been educated by Saturdays NYC founder Josh Rosen that the surf landscape in Soho, where the flagship store resides, is thriving.
EVE DIFF WH BA SAM STAR COM
Obviously being based in Soho, the ‘Surf scene’ (let alone beaches) is presumably not too prevalent. How does Saturdays blend and fuse the spirit of NYC with surf sensibility? You would be surprised at how prevalent the surf scene is in Soho. We have several big surf brands that have set up shop in the hood. Quicksilver, Billabong and Volcom are all within a few blocks of our store. Also, every major fashion brand that is in the area uses surfing and beach culture to sell their Spring collections. Whether it be a beach umbrella, surfboard or some sort of scantily clad mannequin, come early Spring all the store fronts put up some sort of beach vibe. The difference between the big surf brands and the fashion houses and us is that we represent an honest surfer living in NYC and going to the beach to surf as much as possible. It’s not a marketing campaign or a way to flex our big brand muscles by having a store in Soho. This is where we live, work and where we take the subway to go surfing. We invite surfers, beach goers, artists, business people and everyone else that might be interested to come in and enjoy our lifestyle.
Unlike your regular ‘run of the mil’ surf label, Saturdays is more refined and high end- does this come with it’s basis in New York? We just don’t live a life in NYC where we can wear baggy board shorts and flip flops around. We like fashion, we like the idea of dressing well for an occasion. We design the brand to reflect our day to day lives. It definitely has a NYC vibe, I guess there is a lot about NYC that is high-end but I don’t think of the brand that way. It’s well made, it fits great, and it represents us.
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GO LE
What’s your personal surfing background? Does this effect your designs and how so?
Did you fight the torrential rain for your love of surf being raised in Seattle?
I grew up in Seattle, from 16 to 20 I worked as a professional snowboarder. I grew up going to Hawaii with my family, I surfed out at our coast but only did it a handful of times a year. I broke my back when I was 20 and quickly realized that laying around in rainy Seattle for six months waiting for my back to heal would drive me crazy. I moved down to San Diego enrolled in school and started swimming everyday and then when I could, surfing everyday. Once my back healed I was getting pretty enveloped in both school and surfing so I stayed for five years. I surfed twice a day almost everyday for those five years. I have surfed as much as possible since. I think the designs that my partner and I come up with very much reflect our lives, where we are all from and what we love. Surfing is definitely a huge part of all three of our lives.
In Seattle you fight to do anything outdoors. When you’re a kid, your back to school pack always includes rain gear, when you go to the beach you go to the rain forest. The weather brings a never-ending grey sky and slow drizzle. A lot of times that rain means low pressure storms coming in from Alaska, which always brings some sort of wave. It’s just a part of living out there. But when the sun shines - it’s really amazing.
Who do you shape your designs to appeal to? I assume its not just made for you’re regular sun-bleached hair barefoot dude with a cone? We are three guys that have lived in New York between four years (Morgan) and 20 years (Colin) - we came here for all the amazing things that New York has to offer. I have been here for 10 years and in that time I have seen so many amazing fashions come and go. We are inspired by all of this. When we go to the design table we allow all the influences that New York has to offer come in. But what comes out is a good fitting menswear line. I think we mostly appeal to an urban guy who works in the city lives in the city but does not necessarily wear or feel comfortable in office casual. Someone who cares about where their clothing comes from. This guy could be 17 or 47. Why the coffee shop in-store? Is coffee that in demand in NY? Again it’s about our lifestyle, before you go surfing you usually grab a coffee. When you wake up at 4 AM to go surfing so that your back in the city by 10 AM to work coffee is going to play a very large role in your day. That and the fact that it allows people to come in, spend time and experience the store, really experience makes it important.
Have you ever surfed the waves in Australia? I gather it would be worlds apart from that of the US? I have been to Australia - it feels like Southern California. It’s a surf culture. They give surf contest results on the 10 o’clock news and surf legends are sports legends and not “extreme athletes” When you’re facing out to the ocean sitting on your surfboard, it’s more about the wave. We have point breaks in New Jersey that look like Australia and we have great beach break in Long Island that looks and feels like Aus. It will be different everywhere when you head back to the beach. How has the brand evolved and changed in the two years since its establishment, and how will it continue to change in the future? The brand has grown steadily in the past two years. Aside from expanding on what we have been doing we have not changed much. This is what we set out to do. Create and hope people like what we are up to. It’s really just us. One time I tried to surf and the waves were so psychedelic I felt I was on the brink of a brutal and unforgiving death. Will it get easier with practice or is that a fatal risk I will have to take? It’s important to take your time. Find a spot that is beginner friendly and try and be super respectful to the local surfers. Every wave is different but when you go back to the same spot it starts to feel comfortable. Surfing is about learning to relax and trust yourself. Time in the water is the key to learning to surf.
IT’S WELL MADE, IT FITS GREAT, AND IT REPRESENTS US.
With an eclectic range of apparel, a unique selection of local and international labels and an organic set of ethics, Crown St’s Above The Clouds store stands out against Sydney’s competitive retail environment. A plethora of exceptional men’s and women’s high fashion and street designers being featured on the racks of ATC re-iterates founder Dimitri Calligeros’ extensive background in fashion as he notes that a substantial risk was taken with the decision of opening the store. “When I grew up I always had a really big interest in fashion and I actually studied fashion and finished. At the end of the day, all the clothes I stock are just kind of [something I would want] in own dream store, like what I would want my wardrobe to look like. We cater for a mix between quiet street-wear and a bit more high-end fashion, cause I know there’s a gap in the market.
EVERYONE WAS WEARING THE SAME THING, WHITE TEES, CHINOS AND VANS, PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO GO OUT AND LOOK AROUND AND SEE THEMSELVES DRESSED LIKE EVERYONE ELSE. And we do womens and mens, unlike other street-wear stores, which is a point of difference.” Although Calligeros actively attempts to balance labels from Australia and abroad, his allegiance lies with the local, focussing heavily on giving light to new Sydney up-and-coming designers. “If there’s a brand that is international which is fashion enthusiasts and more street sensible punters, Calligeros similar to an Australian brand, I will always notes that the men’s apparel works better, as those who value try and back the support the Australian quality street-wear are more constant with their purchases and brand. Obviously I’ve done the collaboration present a sense of loyalty to the store. “I think the street-wear stuff with Well Dressed Vandals, but it’s just works better,” Calligeros begins, “because the customers who like easier dealing with Australian brands… like that seem to be more loyal and they always want to keep up with if there’s new sizes or issues with garments the new fashion. I think the trend in Sydney a year ago was everyone you can just have a face to face with them. was wearing the same thing, white tees, chinos and Vans, but I think Maybe the older generation support the people don’t want to go out and look around and see themselves Australian brands, but the younger kids who dressed like everyone else. I think the more street-wear thing, are really into street-wear might not care as which was big 5 years ago, has come back and people are going to much.” Regardless of the fact that the store start wearing more prints and be different, which is stuff you can both offers a mix of and caters to high end get in the store. ” It seems Calligeros’ eye for design, impeccable taste and formal training is being pushed one step further, with plans of an original label emerging out of the Sydney creative, set for release in 2013. “I’m looking to do a brand, its not going to be a house brand, but I’m teaming up with a friend at the moment. It’s not going to be called ‘Above The Clouds’, it’s going to be completely different. Hopefully we want to get a line out by Winter (2013). Our main influence would probably be something like Norse Projects, which have a street and fashion aspect. Something which would reflect the style of the store, basically.”
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ive and skate om art collect fr ys bo e th with action Ante caught up the worlds of . on colliding Co e iv ct lle Co ique nature of bearing label gn and the un si de ld fo d t, cut an t. sports and ar e skate produc their handmad
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The idea behind Collective Co. is to enable a platform for artists/designers to come together to showcase products & new initiatives. The first series of collaborations is created by Brad from BTB, and Symon from Parkside Apparel Co. How did you come up with the idea of colliding the world of cut & fold art with skate culture? It just made sense, being both from printing and design backgrounds we already had a strong understanding of these techniques.
were cool and finding new uses for them. Hopefully some kids do the same with this. Why do you guys hand-make the glocks yourselves rather than manufacturing them in mass? I assume it would be rather time consuming? Oh man! It takes ages! But it is super expensive to get all this stuff made when you’re starting out. We are all about the D.I.Y, so we just jumped into it, started screen printing the graphics and making samples in our studio. Then it just
Next thing we were running around the studio pointing them at each other having a shootout. Once the idea was hatched, we sketched it, then cut it straight out and folded it to shape. Next thing we were running around the studio pointing them at each other having a shootout. We were like “these are crazy, we have to make them”. Is there a practicality behind the packaging or is it a design novelty? All the packaging is made from recycled materials, so we hope people find another use for them. It would give them like a 3rd life or something. As kids we always were keeping random boxes and things we thought ante | issue two
snowballed, at each stage of development we kept inventing new techniques to push the project forward, all of a sudden we were making every step in house. It wasn’t until we sat down and went through the whole process from start to finish that we realised how huge the process had become. I mean we had even designed and manufactured a machine to melt the profiles in all the foam that houses the bearings and lube. Now as demand grows and work on expanding our product line continues, development into mass production is the next move in the progression of the Glock Nines.
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Does your team have a background in craft/ design/skate-specific design? We both have a background in Screen Printing and Graphic Design, all our other skills come from many lost days in the shed, skating, riding bikes, cars, motorcycles and bars. Why did you decide to go with this particular aesthetic? What is the significance of the ‘glock’? BANG! We wanted make some noise and have a bit of fun. The image of the gun is seen as such a strong symbol in today’s culture and we knew it would certainly make an impression. The sight of a gun evokes different reactions in people. As a twist, we purposely took the powerful imagery of the gun and gave it an organic feel with the use of soft recycled materials. Go through the process of engineering the products with us- how exactly are they put together? All the graphics are hand screen printed onto recycled card. Then there are 8 individual pieces that need to be cut out to make up each gun. These are then scored and folded before being glued together. The moulds for the bearings and lube are heated and pressed into the foam. ante | issue two
That is then trimmed to size and placed into the drawers. The bearing and lube are packed into the foam, loaded into the gun and are now ready to be unleashed. In terms of the bearings themselves, what is the point of difference in quality compared to mainstream skate labels? We supply a high calibre skate bearing, specifically designed for the needs of today’s aggressive skating styles. Our bearings are cold blooded killers. Are you selective about the stockists of your product- how do you decide which stores would be appropriate/relevant? From the start our goal was to put out quality product with a new dynamic to it, get people talking and thinking. The last thing we wanted was to be seen as a gimmick. So we needed to get involved with dedicated skate stores that were on the same path. All feedback we received was positive and things just evolved from there. Where can I pick up a glock in Sydney? In Sydney we are in store at 99 Degrees, Westsyde Connection, Lodown, Kingpin Wollongong and more. www.collectiveco.com.au
ENGINEERED TO DESTROY N YC
Enter the dark world of Mishka NYC- a kaiju influenced label which vomits on the standards of archetypal street based apparel. Although the line of subversive clothing has been around since ’03, the Mishka brand has evolved into a prominent cultural network, which comprises of a blog, band collaborations, music compilations, playthings and an art collective. The label flirts with nasty punk, metal and varsity styles, whilst still maintaining a clean, consistent and all-together coherent aesthetic. The Spring 11’ collection pushes the definition of ‘bold’ into whole new heights, with loud, headache inducing graphics, obscenely patterned cut-and-sew pieces and Mishka’s signature play on popular culture images. We had a chat with ½ of the founding team Greg Rivera on the direction of the label for 2012, the importance of left-of-centre accessories and standing out in the competitive world of design.
RESPECT BETWEEN ARTIST AND THE BR Your collections run fairly consistently against a theme which channels a certain weird-neo-metal-punk-varsity-psychedelic style, how do you create the aesthetic for each season and where exactly do these bizarre designs derive from? We are constantly digesting music, art, books, and film. We travel. We explore. Many of your graphics are a play on old metal/punk band logos and classic popular culture, are you a big fan of old-school band merchandise? Elaborate on this clever spin: Yeah, we are huge fans of pop-culture and the memorabilia that came out of it. Actually when I was in college, I bought an entire warehouse of bootleg vintage concert tees. I sold it all on Ebay years ago. We are def fans of the art, but instead of always just flipping old logos and art, we have also hired old school metal artists including Derek Riggs and Ed Repka. Mishka collections heavily feature a series of twisted characters including Cyco Simon, Keep Watch Eyeball & The Death Adder- how did you create these and in what ways do you continue to feature them creatively seasonally? These are all logos and icons that tell the Mishka story and lifestyle. The Cyco Simon is our skull, our death’s head, the darker side of our design. The Keep Watch eyeball is the playful, gross, illuminated, fun side. The Death Adder is our team mascot. If you are down with the Death Adder then you are part of our team! Your lookbooks for each season as well as their accompanying video support and feature some brilliant underground, left-field recording artists rocking your original gear. Why do you choose to use musicians and what element do they bring to the images that an ordinary model does not?
We came up with idea of using musical artists for our lookbooks in 2011. We focused on NYC, LA, UK and Canada. We feel like it is important to show how much we are influenced by music and how much these artists support us. Most if not all the artists in the videos are our friends and wore Mishka and took part in the look book cause they love Mishka, and I think that is pretty amazing. Releasing compilation mixes and collaboration merch with bands such as Das Racist, The Death Set, Wavves is a radical way to combine the music world with the world of fashion. How does Mishka aim to embrace music within the brand ethos? Describe what the collaboration process entails?
In terms of all of the bands you mentioned, there has been a mutual admiration and respect between the artist and the brand. Fashion and music go hand and hand, and we work with some amazing individuals. The process has been pretty organic and we characterize as a strategic partnership between the musician and Mishka. Mishka releases some pretty interesting accessories to compliment the apparel such as bikes, cups, pens (and a shit load of toys!) - how does this set your brand apart from other labels and why did you choose to create such quirky objects? I think it sets us apart that we actually make all of this stuff! As far as the toys, that’s a big part of my life and influence in what I do. Most of the toys are collaborations with other artists and some being our own, like the Bootleg Kaiju. I think the idea of making many and quirky things is just part about promoting all the things what we are into. What is your relation with labels Fuct, Actual Pain and Flying Coffin? How have you guys collaborated and linked up in the past?
WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PRETTY LOUD AND ECCENTRIC - THAT IS JUS PART OF WHO WE ARE!
We have collaborated with Actual Pain and Flying Coffin. We have known these guys for years, from when they were first starting out. We have been supporting and pushing these brands for years and now we are selling them on our site and in our stores as well. I met Erik from Fuct about 4 years ago at a trade show in San Diego. We have been friends ever since and we also are selling his brand in our store.
and counter culture. The blog is managed and run by the other owner of the brand Mikhail. He has really built a great tool to explain what we are all about.
Besides the subversive design approach, how is Mishka still ‘skate’ in essence? In what ways do you think the label rejects the standards of an ordinary street brand.
Your Summer & Spring ‘12 ranges are graphically pretty loud & eccentric. How far do you try to push your designs? What is your favourite piece from the up coming Spring collection?
How was the experience speaking at CARBON Festival in Melbourne early 11’ and sharing your creative background alongside other fellow influential individuals?
We have always been pretty loud and eccentric - that is just part of who we are! I think my favourite piece from Spring 12 is the bleach stained plaid shirt. I cant remember the exact name as I am typing this, but its basically one of our plaid designs with splashes of bleach. I think its really fun, and something this scene needs especially with a million different plaid shirts on the market!
Mishka has always been a skate friendly brand. Just look at our graphics! We recently just formed a flow team, with one of our warehouse guys becoming the team manager. His name is Steve and he has been skating in NYC since he was 13. He asked me why Mishka didn’t make more skateboards or have a skate team, and I was like, “why don’t you help me start one?” So he did, and we have some great kids so far. I am really excited about this new chapter in our brand, I think you are going to see a lot more from us regarding skate in 2012.
ST
Oh man, this one of the greatest experiences of my professional career. I am a very social person. I love speaking in public. I love telling stories, my story. I was really nervous at first because I had never done anything like this. Not to mention that I was going to travel to the other side of the earth to do so. Overall it was an amazing experience, and the feedback I received was equally amazing. Mishka is not just a clothing label - there are obviously so many other creative elements, which are embodied by the brand. The recent of these is your online blog network Bloglin. How did Bloglin come about? Tell us a bit about what kind of stuff it covers and what it is all about? I think we started the Bloglin back in 2007. This was early on when we realized how important a blog was for brands, and our brand in particular. It really gave us an opportunity to create a community and voice for the brand. Over the years, its one of the top street-wear blogs, as well as a respected blog in terms of music, film, art
In Australia recently, it’s clear that the hype around Mishka is becoming more and more prevalent with an increased number of stockists and kids embracing the clothing (which is great to see). Is the brand rapidly expanding? In your opinion, where is the point where commercialism begins to take over? Oh really? That is great to hear! To be honest, I want it to get bigger and bigger. I want as many people from as many walk of lives, wearing our clothes! It’s our art, and the more people that can see it is better for me! In the meantime people need to realize we are bigger than a clothing brand. That is just a tool. The real story lies within the records we put out, the art shows we do in our stores, the concerts we promote, the toys we make, the life we live, etc.
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How was it collaborating with Patrick Kyle? How do his prints reflect the brand? Patrick Kyle was awesome to work with! He was professional, and the art he made for the show was amazing! I think it reflects the brand perfectly. The handmade DIY feel to it, and the trippy cartoon characters are a perfect marriage. What is next for the label? Any ridiculous plans stewing for 2012? We have a new site design that is going to be ready for Spring 2012. We have some amazing licensing projects, that I cant really talk about, but I will say they are massive. I would have to say just keep reading the Bloglin, and of course Keep Watch! www.mishkanyc.com
FROM PRO-SKATE TO STREET-ART TO GRAPHIC DESIGN, IT’S EVIDENT SYDNEY CREATIVE VISIONARY SAM SILVERSTONE HAS DONE IT ALL. EMBRACING UNIQUE CULTURES FROM AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING THAT OF SAN FRANCISCO AND LONDON, SILVERSTONE HAS A COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF GLOBAL STREET SCENES AND APPLIES THIS PATENT UNDERSTANDING TO HIS INNOVATIVE, ARTISTIC APPAREL/SKATE BASED DESIGNS AND GRAPHICS. HIS DESIGNS TRANSCEND THE TECHNICALITIES OF SKATE DESIGN, USING QUIRKY CHARACTERS THROUGH ILLUSTRATIONS AND GRAPHICS TO COIN HIS OWN ARTISTIC STYLE. WITH CLIENTS SUCH AS SIXPACK, VANS, NIKE AND STUSSY, IT IS CLEAR THAT SILVERSTONE IS AN AUSTRALIAN VETERAN TO THE GRAPHIC FIELD. SILVERSTONE SHARES WITH US TALES OF HIS FORMER PRO-SKATE CAREER, BEING A NOTORIOUS STREET WRITER IN LONDON AND HIS DESIGN WORK FOR A PLETHORA OF IMMINENT GLOBAL STREET AND SKATE-WEAR LABELS.
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every single page! There wasn’t even one badly done tag in the city. Every single one was immaculate. So much killer art in all the tattoo parlours too and the guys who do DLXSF’s graphics are also amazing. The standard there was pretty mind blowing! Having said that though, every city has a cool scene and style, some smaller than others, but all are unique and inspirational in their own ways. You have collaborated with some huge local and international names such as Nike, Sixpack, Vans etc, Who has been your favourite client to work with to date and why? Nike because they pay the best and are obviously the biggest name in my client list. When I was a kid I would never ever have thought Nike would be paying me to draw for them one day, but then to be honest, I could say that about all the skate companies too! Generally, I like companies that have considered my varied life experiences, knowledge and time in this industry and therefore listen to me, trust me and give me more creative freedom... also, if they pay on time without too many hassles I love them even more!
Obviously living and working within a variety of different countries around the globe has allowed you to become immersed within a wide scope of cultural scenes- which city has the richest/most unique artistic scene and was most interesting to work in? San Francisco 15 years ago was amazing. I was only skateboarding there at the time, not really doing art, but the standard there was killer. I would see early Obey posters, Killer Mike giant throw ups and pieces on high rooftops, Killer Twist throw ups and illustrations all over the place. Not many people even knew or paid much attention to these guys back then! I would see Sam Flores at parties and he would always have this killer sketchbook with him, every single page was immaculately drawn… and I mean
Zoo York was great too because I really loved their style of art at the time. When I first met them because I really loved their style of art at the time Sixpack are also cool because the brand’s general style is something I can personally identify with. Vans was great because I have always worn their shoes and Element Skateboards recently has been cool too. I remember when Element had just started up and was just a little sister company, which my close friends had parts in creating so there’s some personal history attachments there, but I’m also an undercover hippy, and like Element, I want all people on this planet to strongly consider its fragility and the mind blowing awesomeness of ‘mother nature’ and this entire universe. To what extent are you able to project your own artistic aesthetic onto the work of a client? Are labels lenient with allowing you to add your own personal vision to the work they have planned for you? I am a commercial ‘graphic artist’ and ‘designer’ so I always have a client to please, a brief to adhere to and a consumer in mind, all of which I have to be totally aware of. Some clients will send me drawing style
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references and know exactly what content they want to use -this can be cool too because I can have a crack at a totally different style of art I’ve never tried before and put my own spin on it. Other clients give me the freedom to propose a few concepts and we discuss ideas together and take it from there. I have also just point blank pitched ideas to clients in my early days with surprising success, but generally the more you understand the label and the consumers who buy their product the easier it is to propose ideas that fit. How does your background in street art and graffiti reflect on your designs? Elaborate on your former career as a graffiti artist: My interest in street art started at a very early age, I think I was 8 years old. It got me looking at colours and which ones work well together, typography became interesting and the way shapes sit together, bubble shapes, sharp spikey shapes, the layers of colours, considerations like, dark colours go on top of light ones, with the outline put on last etcetera are all things I might now consider when setting up a job to be screen printed for example. All these considerations contributed to becoming the designer I am today. Studying street art not only helped me work out how to create an interesting image... but more so how to visually communicate an emotion and have it absorbed by others. Back in London I had my house raided various times by the British transport police’s ‘graffiti squad’. They accused me of being one of London’s most wanted and prominent graffiti writers of the early nineties.
How would you describe your own personal style of design? Are there any other designers/ graphic artists who you draw influence from? I’d like to say my style is varied. I have done so many different styles of graphics now. To be honest, I’m not even sure if I have a style. I like to try different styles as much as possible, one minute I might be drawing some cartoon style thing with a black pen, the next I’m trying to draw a photographic looking rose with a pencil, then I’m doing a collage or manipulating photos, then I’m designing a wallet, then laying out a catalogue, then I’m designing a logo, then packaging, then clothing where I’m choosing fabric and washes… the list goes on. I pride myself on diversity and being able to do a variety of illustration styles, graphic design styles, garment design and various other projects. I’m inspired by Jonathan Zawada Dmote, Luca Ionescu, Perks and Mini, Jeremyville, Ben Brown, Ben frost, Phibs, Beastman, Ed Loftus, Simon Evans, Matt Stuart, Arron Bleasdale, Russle, Otto Greenslade, Twist, Mike Giant, Huskmitnavn, Ill Studio, 123 Klan, Kimou Meyer, Jim Phillips, Doze Green and many, many more. Designing for a wide scope of skate labels, you must have pretty thorough knowledge of the scene describe your former skate life and how this assists you in creating work for this specific audience: I started skating over 20 years ago, I was in the UK skate mags a fair bit and skated for Alien Workshop for several years. I later moved to the states to skate and hung out with all the big name skaters at the time. I think if you have lived the life of a skateboarder, you have constantly analysed everything in fine detail... from the very precise body movements you
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need practise to learn how to do tricks… to product, skateboard graphics, clothing, footwear etcetera, every skater has looked at all this in very fine detail. As a strongly opinionated teenage skater kid like I was, I’m sure all have analysed with the upmost scrutiny. Later in life as a designer, in the board riding industry, most answers then come easily. How was the experience living in San Francisco and embracing the intense amounts of street/skate culture in the city? While you were skating with the big names (Josh Kalis, Drake Jones, Mike Carroll, Stevie Williams, Karl Watson) were you gaining influence for your designs? Outline this experience: I’m not sure, living in America and seeing little people make world famous skateboard companies in front of me was without a doubt motivational. Seeing all the cool skateboard and street culture art all over the place
also helped, but at the time I was just skating. It didn’t take for me long to realise I had to go back to England and get into design properly, which is exactly what I did. How did you progress from street art to skate to design? What, in your opinion, is the link between the three forms of art? I was just a poor kid who liked art, an early love of 80’s hip hop and seeing the first ever train pieces in New York got me interested in lettering. Later on skateboarding took me all over the world at a young age and made me realise I could combine all my knowledge to find a way of making money to live a life the way I wanted to live it without becoming too much of a sheep and conforming to the systematic lives governments’ set out for you. At some point, I realised I had to play their game, but at least I found a way of doing it my way, to some degree.Street art and
THEY ACCUSED ME OF BEING ONE OF LONDON’S MOST WANTED AND PROMINENT GRAFFITI WRITERS OF THE EARLY NINETIES. skateboarding are creative forms where creative thinkers get their freedom. Design generally comes with rules. You are no longer creating for yourself but for others and therefore you use your creative problem solving energy analysing how to best communicate a message. Having said that, I love creating something visual out of nothing and passing it on to others to enjoy, and in this, they are all linked for me. In general they are all creative endeavours and therefore attract like-minded individuals who often end up doing all three. Whats next for your artistic career? Anything big in the works for 2012? I’m just going to keep at it and see where it takes me, maybe I should start to do a few exhibitions and more interviews. I have a few very cool book ideas up my sleeve but no big plans. I guess just be humble, be nice to people and just go with the flow, wear a kind smile and share a few laughs along on the way.
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IT SEEMS THAT GRAPHIC STREET ARTISTS NUMSKULL AND BEASTMAN RUN IN SIMILAR CIRCLES. BOTH BASED IN SYDNEY, THE TWO HAVE BOTH EXHIBITED WORK AT OUTPOST, WORKED AND PAINTED OVERSEAS AND SHARE A SIMILAR WORK ETHIC IN TERMS OF LOCAL ART SCENES. ANTE CHATTED TO BOTH INSPIRING ARTISTS, DIFFERENTIATING THEIR STYLE, BACKGROUND AND GENERAL WORK PROCESS THROUGH A SERIES OF VITAL TOPICS AND IDEAS.
BACKGROUND B:
I grew up skateboarding, shooting photos, drawing pictures, painting in my garage, looking at magazines etc. I started painting a lot more and exhibiting my work when I felt like I could create artwork that was different, and that other people aside from myself would enjoy. I guess this was around 2005.
N:
I have been painting and creating since I was a kid. I’ve tried a lot of different things along the way including graffiti, design, street art, fine art, t-shirt design and more. I started doing graffiti in the late 90s. My brother was my main influence. He started way before me and handed on his knowledge of spots, paint, technique, style etc. Around 2001/2002 I was getting more into street art, more specifically stencils. I spent a long time focussing on this as a method. From then on I have been constantly switching between traditional graffiti pieces, street art and typography based work.
and buzzwords are awesome. There’s something about typography I absolutely love, but can’t explain. At the moment, it’s fairly circumstantial. I gather a bunch of materials including wood, paint, metal, and anything else. From there it’s just a matter of finding the perfect balance and organisation of type, colour and figures. The style and aesthetic is my main goal.
COLLABORATIONS
N:
Working with Jimmy Bliggs from Grand Scheme was one of the most rewarding collaborations I have done to date. He is a super creative artist that I respect, so choosing graphics and coming up with new ones was smooth sailing. When I look back at the project as a whole, I’m really content.
PROCESS B:
STYLE
I do lots of small sketches, just messing around with different ideas and compositions on a very small scale. Then I take these small drawings and concepts and turn them into finished works.
B:
INSPIRATION
My style just developed over years and years of drawing and experimenting with graphic design and different art styles. The artwork I create today is just what comes out of me naturally after years of trying different things, I think after all this time I am finally creating work that just feels right for me.
N:
I’ve always had an interest in comics and cartoons. Any kid in the 80s/90s did. The flat, bold colours are really appealing, and the dramatic punchlines
N:
Honestly. I could write down a massive list of worldwide artists and people. Mostly it comes down to the people around me. All of the Higher Ground Studio artists, Roach, Everfresh, DRS Crew, Ben Frost, Joel Birch, Kill Pixie, Jumbo and Zap, and so many more. There seems to be a surge in the amount of talented artists in Australia at the moment. I am stoked to call some of them friends.
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EXHIBITIONS OUTPOST B:
A lot of the other artists involved in Outpost are friends of mine, so it was a great experience having everyone come to Sydney and be part of one huge event together. I think Cockatoo Island is such a great setting for the event... I found the island itself, its history and the old architecture was a big inspiration for all the artwork that was created for the festival.
TRANSIENT N:
I share a studio with 5 of the 6 artists from Transient, so the experience was nice and easy. Painting with Jumbo was unchartered territory, but the end result turned out to be really pleasing. I’ve always thought our work would go well together, so when his name came up- I jumped on it.
SYDNEY B: I think Australia is home to some of the best contemporary artists in the world, and over the next decade or so, the rest of the world are going to really take notice. I am going to continue to work here in Sydney and help to further nourish our local art scene. Sydney is not small scale, its one of the most beautiful, multicultural and well recognised cities on the planet, and there is some amazing art being produced here at the moment. Plus with the internet these days, you can be anywhere in the world and still be connected to everyone, everywhere.
N:
I love Sydney. I love everything about it. But when it comes to graffiti and street art, Melbourne always wins. Hands down...
With just a Bic ballpen and blank paper, 35 year old Spanish creative visionary Juan Francisco Casas manages to create sheer artistic brilliance through his raw and brilliant depictions of life. His artwork soars beyond the confines of traditional art, depicting lifelike images, which capture themes of rebellion, eroticism and youth. We caught up with Juan to chat about his subjects, influences and the magic of a simple ballpoint.
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What materials do you use to create your artworks? I use a Bic blue ball-pen on paper for the drawings and oil on linen for the paintings.
result of the drawing (by the ball pen, as rare in this context, but so common in everyday life and the image itself, so obviously blue, highlighting the material) and secondly, it is also a conceptual paradox (as everyday and banal, but technically so academic).
How long have you been an artist for? I started exhibiting in professional commercial galleries at 2002. Why do you use ballpoint pens over other utensils? The use of Bic ball-pens to make my drawings is a bit more peculiar and unusual, but a very relevant decision. It is a tool completely alien to artistic procedures and it takes us back to the youthful world the artwork belongs to. A good part of this evocation is down to the fact that the ink is blue and not black, as we might expect, according to a long standing graphic tradition. This is the colour we usually associate with writing, and more specifically, with the world of education. This way there is an implication, a tuning between the message and the medium, which helps to recall a suggestive connotative charge. The ball-pen is as common and daily as the images I use are. The works play with the idea of technique and virtuosity, resulting paradoxical and contradictory on several levels: first, by the photorealistic
Your artwork is quite graphic and sexual, what/who inspires your work? Of course my work is inspired by my life, my friends, my lovers, the people I meet. The work is based in strongly autobiographical parameters; and inevitably it comes to sex as an important part of relationships. Perhaps I am more interested in these relationships (expressed by the sex and eroticism) than in the sex itself, although they have come through it. The women in my work not only act, but also act as they want; the parameters of the representation of the image are set entirely by themselves and defining their own identity and how they want to be presented in a work of art. It also has much to do what they mean in my own biographical circumstances. In many times, as part of my process is the model who chooses how she want to be represented, and even the final image. This is very important to me.
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Typographic Illustrations by Povilas Pullineni
What other artists are you influenced by? A lot... from Frans Hals to Wolfgang Tillmans, and Edwin Wurm, Luc Tuymans, Gerhard Richter‌ What does the future hold for you and your artworks? Impossible to say. I hope at least as good as it is going now...
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GIVE ME A
Beat with
ROYAL HEADACHE Ante Magazine talks beats with Sydney punx Royal Headache.
big star - radio city
No one has ever been this badass at guitar. Alex Chilton is probably my favourite guitarist of all time, these are his guitar songs (that’s a bit dumb but it makes sense if you know the first two big star records). The first records probably everyone’s favourite because it sounds pretty, but this is better. More tough, not that it’s tough in like a bikie bar brawl, but you know, the stones when they stopped with haircuts. But the main thing is songs have more heart than anything you’ll ever hear, this motherfucker, it’s like Dan from Roseanne sitting in a bar drinkin’ cos he lost his job and he’s got a retarded mid-west misfit family to raise. Human shit.
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The Replacements - Let it be This record is like the sandlot kids. They’re not the best baseball players in the world, they don’t have uniforms, they’re not pretty but they made your favourite movie of all time. Every time you watch it your gonna feel nostalgic for somewhere you didn’t even exist. I can’t explain it, but this is the greatest record of all time. That doesn’t mean they’re the best songs you’ll ever hear, (they probably will be) I know this records a mess but you can’t help it, something happens and all logic leaves. This is the greatest band of all time (they are) even though you know it’s not true. When you wish classic rock FM sounded more punk, you’ve been searching for this.
black flag - damaged I needed to put this in cause my first two choices are too ‘wuss rock’. I like hardcore, this choice probably comes off as the token hardcore record but everything I’m choosing is just like, you know the big records, the ones you find when you’re a music retard and they change your life. Hardcore is probably the hardest thing to ever do musically. It’s hard to be that dumb and smart at the same time, to be the greatest and the worst, it’s nearly impossible. This record’s pretty perfect. Nothing else will explain frustration and confusion like this record, perfect for teenagers. When you realise your hands can make fists.
x - x - aspirations
Stupidly only found out about this band about 2 years ago. This is probably the greatest record to ever come out of Australia. It’s like hardcore for Rose Tattoo fans. Tough and wild, almost no chops but so much power. It’s even better because it seems completely unaware of itself. Can’t exist any other way, there’s no pose it’s just rough sounding rock and roll. Good tunes.
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The
BLACK LIPS
PISSING ONSTAGE, WATCHING CROWD MEMBERS FINGER THEMSELVES AND SHARING SALIVA WITH YOUR BAND MATES IS ONLY A TASTE OF THE RUCKUS THAT PSYCHEDELIC POP FOUR-PIECE THE BLACK LIPS GET UP TO IN THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCE. AS A RESULT OF THESE CONFRONTING RECITALS, THE BOYS HAVE BEEN BANNED FROM INDIA, IGNITED BEEF WITH GARAGE PUNKS WAVVES AND PUT LEGENDARY PRODUCER MARK RONSON IN HOSPITAL. WE CAUGHT UP WITH THE BOYS TO DISCUSS SUCH CONTROVERSIES AND THE INS-AND-OUTS OF CREATING INFECTIOUS LO-FI TUNES. ante | issue two
Firstly- congrats on landing spot at Coachella. Do you guys prefer playing larger festivals or more intimate venues? There is a major difference. I really enjoy playing festivals but I’m used to being really close to people and at a festival you have a really large volume of people, which is awesome cause we get to play for thousands of people- and if you do something and they like it, it can be really exhilarating. Also it can be a lot harder to convey to the crowd your message. Our band is quite lo fi and it’s hard for us- the bigger metal bands and louder bands just blast their way through to the people. You guys have been together for 11 years now is that right? We have been around for like 11 or 12 years so were like young veterans- were some of the youngest veterans in music. Has the band dynamic or sound changed dramatically in this period of 11/12 years? When we first started we were like a purist 60s beat group and as time went on we got more psychedelic and experimental, were still basically a pop band at heart. Are you guys sick of each other after this time? Yeah, well you do get sick of each other a little bit but I guess its learning how to deal with each other which is really important. And, learning how to co-operate… even if you want to kill the other person. You guys have often been branded under the genre ‘Flower Punk’. What exactly does this term connote to? We’ve got a 60s punk proto-punk sound. Punk is always seen as kinda ‘macho’ and we thought we heard a lot of 60s bands that were psychedelic and we’re actually more punk than some of the 70s hippier punk bands. We’re punk in attitude and even vocals, but we’re kinda like a wussy punk. The term punk is kinda tongue in cheek. Explain your bizarre stage rituals like pissing on each other and making out with fellow band members which has become such an inherit part within The Black Lips: They definitely provoke the audience
to become members- sometimes we wont do anything bizarre at all and the audience will just do it all, because we kinda have a reputation around strange primal experiences. We kinda worked on it and it unintentionally kinda blew up into something wonderful. It really like a release to just like do whatever you want, we do all kinds of stupid shit and it’s all in good fun. Do you have a crazy story to tell about your gigs? I heard that some chick was fingering herself at one of your shows? Yeah that happened, one guy like lit his pubic hair on fire, people throw glass at us. Everything’s kinda been done we try and kick it to the max… we get bored easily. Earlier on when we weren’t as good musicians we relied on a bit of performance art to keep the crowd entertained, now that were better musically we don’t need to do it as much. Has this just become something adopted within your live show? Definitely. We come from the same kinda performance art school as GG Allin or Iggy Pop. Why are you guys now banned in India? Why the shows were perceived so negatively? That incidence we were kinda not musically progressive, but socially progressive. In India the act of homosexuality is not accepted and it wasn’t our intention to offend the law, we just did our normal show and that they said we might have to prison for 4 years and our whole tour cancelled onstage. Can you guys go back there ever? Well, It wouldn’t be the best for us to go back right now… Do you think working with Mark Ronson on Arabia Mountain has moulded your sound into becoming more accessible? Slightly. Mark made the decision not to ‘pop’ us up too much because it would destroy what was good about us, so he kinda let us do our thing. We were steering the ship, so he just made sure it didn’t sink. What happened with Mark and the liver sashimi? Didn’t you guys almost kill him? ante | issue two
We got violent stomach flu, we were eating a lot of weird foods and we got Mark doing it too and we got really ill. We don’t know what it was from- either sashimi or partying or what and he had to go to hospital which kinda fucked up the recording so we had to book another week since we lost a couple of days. I noticed you guys toy a lot within your lyrics with spiritual themes. Are you guys religious at all? I’m really into soul and Christian gospel music from the 40s 50s, 60s Jared’s family was an evangelical family and he grew up in a church of that music and Joe our drummer was a choir boy so were not religious but there’s just undertones of that, and some early punk actually came from gospel music in America, distorted electric guitars, early screaming before rock and roll was done on top of records. I like a lot of Muslim culture and religions so we incorporate that. So, you guys aren’t actually religious, you just embrace it? Me personally, I consider myself as a spiritual person. I’m definitely into like supernatural forces and the universe but yeah not religious. How did tensions arise with Nathan from Wavves? Are you guys still beefing? That was a little bit played up by the media. At one point I think Jared said something offhand which was considered as rude and someone published it and it created a tension. There was a bar brawl at one point, I wasn’t there but there were a lot of people fighting and a bottle got broken over Jareds head and so it got pushed to more than it was. We had a little tension with Wavves. Wavves’ band used to be Jay Reatards band so we grew up listening to them. I went to see them which was cool and like, Jared said that after the MTV awards in America, him and Wavves went to an after party together, so there’s no real tension.
When Simon Rex isn’t making puerile cameos in pop videos or ‘fuckin [girls] brains out on mustangs’, he is Dirt Nasty- offensive, belligerent recording artist who produces beguiling rap tracks which go with a theme of ‘so bad, it’s good’. As a progression from a former career in television and film, Rex’s musical career was derived from his part in rap group Dyslexic Speedreaders along with homies Micky Avalon, Beardo and Andre Legacy. The multi-talented actor-slash-comedian-slash –general funny guy chats to us about cocaine, his dick and being an honorary Bra Boy.
p”... o P “ y r e v t o n I’m I’m too dirty.
How many drugs were actually consumed in the making of the Nicholaus Goossen video ‘Drugs On My Mind’? Zero drugs! It’s all mostly props. I think the pills were real but if you watch it again you’ll see how over the top it is. Just meant for a laugh... or a cry.
Do you live your life by the premise of the 1980 video-clip? Doing coke out of a straw whilst on roller blades and throwing up on your brand new mink? No, I hate coke! I thought it would be funny to rap about doing coke not selling it as its never been done. I created a monster cause now everyone wants me to do it with them but it’s not my cup of tea. Going into your acting career, was there a sense of realism to your own life in your role in Scary Movie III? Are you really just a guy who has a dream to have a dream? It’s crazy that I played Eminem in Scary Movie 3. I had only rapped for fun at that point in 2003. People still get confused when they see me rap like “wait, that’s the dude who raps in the movies and he raps in real life too? Fuck this guy!” I agree. Fuck me… Do you consider yourself more an actor or a rapper? Or a full-time party guy? I’m a ‘ractor’. A rapper/actor - a very rare combo. I party, but not like I used to. Now I only drink 6 days a week.
What kind of crazy shit goes down at Plumm Nightclub? Plumm nightclub is closed. I invested in it but only went like twice in 5 years. It was a business move not a party move. But I did hang with Stevie Wonder at the opening, which kicks balls! I heard you had a run at the Piano Room in Sydney this year with a drunk guy talking smack, are you now a Bra Boy after that incident? *Laughs* No, it was a minor scuffle. The Bra Boys were in the building but I just yelled their name out in case I needed back up. Never did. I love Aussies they’re down to go whenever. Are you honoured to be featured in Ke$ha and LMFAO videos as ‘that creepy dude’? I am honored to be in pop videos’ with my friends, for sure. I’ve been tight with Ke$ha and LMFAO for years so its cool to see your friends blow up and be able to share the stage with them. I’m not very “Pop” but they kill it. I’m too dirty. Finish this sentence, My dick ------...Is lonely and limp Finish this sentence, Your dick -----... Boney like a chimp Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In ten years I see myself where i am right now - Hawaii. Working in my yard, trying to eat healthy, and throwing my kids in the above ground pool naked. Photo by Damon Kidwell
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The music of four piece New York band Small Black is a visceral interpretation of something magical- something which defies the conventional feeling which music evokes, into somewhere more ethereal, interpretive and emotional. Combining influences stemmed from Punk, Experimental Electronica and Hip Hop, Small Black have created a distinctive sound which is completely their own, and constantly evolves into different styles with each reputable release. As a progression from 2009 EP New Chain the boys have released mixtape Moon Killer which features a series of guest vocal collaborations and plays with novel and complex styles of synthetic sampling. The mixtape showcases Small Black’s remarkable ability to step outside the box, and create something, which defies the typical confines of genre.
Photograph: Damon Kidwell
WE JUST MAKE MUSIC THE ONLY WAY WE KNOW HOW, AND IT HAPPENS TO HAVE BEATS, SYNTHS AND VOCALS
From the beginning, describe the roots and where/how/when the band was formed: The project started as a bedroom recording project out in Long Island, NY, at our singer Josh’s uncle’s house. He’s the guy making surfboards in the “Despicable Dogs” video. The four of us have known each other and have been playing together music in various bands for many years, and when interest in the initial EP allowed us to tour, we all dropped everything and became a proper band. Why is it that you guys deny the ‘Chillwave’ label? How would you guys define yourself or is the whole eccentric nature of your music designed to refuse the confines of genre? Well, we have said different things about it at different times, but in general we think that it’s a bit lazy. As much as it helped put us on the map to be lumped into this genre, it really doesn’t mean anything to us. We just make music the only way we know how, and it happens to have beats, synths and vocals. Our focus is really on writing good pop songs
with memorable hooks. How people choose to categorize us is sort of out of our control. I hear an obvious similarity between your sound and that of My Bloody Valentine -What other bands does Small Black draw influences from? We definitely were all hugely influenced by MBV, but we really all separately grew up absorbing a really wide range of stuff. Ryan grew up playing in Hardcore bands, Josh is a huge fan of Hip Hop, Juan played Punk and go-go music in DC, and Jeff grew up in a very musical family and played in orchestra pit bands, church bands and so on. We have lately been really drawing a lot of inspiration from Blue Nile, Tears for Fears, Neil Young and that new Drake record (which is so so good). Creating layers of distorted audial textures must be complex to execute live- what is this process like? How do you guys achieve this sound on stage? We’re still working on figuring this out, it’s ante | issue two
really a long process that keeps changing as our production, synths and overall instrumentation evolve. For the older EP stuff, we just play a lot of the tones with samplers and sampling keyboards with distortion effects, and we use live bass and live drums to give it a more live improvised feel. For the newer stuff that we’re doing for upcoming releases, it’s just a lot punchier, clean and spacious, so we’re going to completely redo our live setup. We’re gonna move into a more dynamic playback system and use a lot more live guitars and drums, with much less sampler action. We want it to really strip down to the core elements and just more carefully hone in on getting those to come across live. How did this setting where New Chain was recorded effect the way the music was produced and the feel behind the record as a whole? New Chain was recorded in a remote part of Delaware, at Juan’s parent’s house. Settings influence the recordings. With the attic
IT’S JUST A BIG DANCE PARTY, PEOPLE ARE FILTHY AND SWEATY, IT VERGES ON A PUNK SHOW.
recordings, it was SO tight that it really relied on straight to computer bedroom style production for the beats and keyboards. A lot of effects chaining and tiny amps were used. As we have more and more space, we get to experiment more with live drum kits, loud amps, spacial recording, etc. Washed Out and Small Black share a common aesthetic in many ways- how was it recording the split with them and did you find your sounds complimented each other? We became friends with Ernest Greene early on when we were just starting to put stuff out. The split release where we remixed each other came about over the Internet; we were all excited to make something together. We toured with him - he’s one of our favourite people… just a pure and genuinely nice person. Our music, although very different in intent and how it’s written, definitely works well together, live and in with recording projects. Do you prefer playing more intimate local venues or at festivals or outdoor settings? Which of these works best for you live? We’re more used to small and mid-sized clubs, although we’ve played festivals and bigger venues. A lot depends on the sound system. Since we rely heavily on electronics, whether
we’re playing in a tiny room or at an outdoor festival plays a big role in how much we enjoy playing. There is something magic about small DIY venues, we’ve played a lot of Todd P shows in NY and done shows with other like-minded promoters around the country, and those are often the most memorable shows. It’s just a big dance party, people are filthy and sweaty, it verges on a punk show. We played one show at Primavera Festival in Spain that was just amazing, the sound guy was incredible and the audience was getting wild. There was crowd surfing and head banging, it was great.
and samples, and put a vocal on top. Heems came into that session with verses written and got it in two takes, we were all pretty drunk at the time, it was just a fun recording session. For ‘Two Rivers’ he just improvised a few different things and we picked from that. That was really a last-minute thing we did before shutting down the studio.
Why did you choose to release the mixtape for free? Because we wanted no barrier to hearing it, just make it as easy as possible. It’s full of samples we could never clear also, so it How was it collaborating with Heems of Das didn’t make sense to put it out on a label. Racist in the recent Moon Killer mixtape? We wanted to give something back to anyone The track sounds so effortless and smooth, who’s ever supported us, something that even though both Small Black and Das gave people a different angle on our band Racist originate from two completely diverse and our influences. musical origins.How did you combine your electronic sound with his rap verses? What is next for Small Black? What are Heems is a good friend and we’d been your summer plans? seeing each other at shows and playing We are working nonstop for the next four together randomly. A collaboration seemed months to finish our new LP. Can’t tell you like an obvious idea since we are super how excited we are for it, it’s finally the influenced by Hip Hop, especially Josh. record we always envisioned making but Between the four members of Small Black, didn’t know how before. We’ll be touring LP2 we’ve produced a very wide variety of in 2012, hoping to be on the road if/when the music, and there really isn’t that much of a end of the world comes. difference between our process and that of a rap producer. We make beats, lay in synths ante | issue two
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