The 2011 Music Issue by Bunker Hill Magazine

BUNKER HILL MAGAZINE JULY 2011 | THE MUSIC ISSUE

JULY 2011 VOLUME 16

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THE BEAT 6 | DIVE HEAD FIRST INTO LA’s Finest POOLs Bunker Hill Magazine’s favorite places in the city to dip, sip, splash, sun and swim By Shilo Urban

44 | Rock and Roll Camp for Girls A camp about blazing guitar chords and cymbal crashes; about creating ‘zines, writing lyrics and forming bands.

THE LOOKOUT 10 | The Sense of 21, Again Reunite the themes and vibes of the “Under 21” event, The Smell will host “Way Over 21: Fuck Me!”

TASTE

TRENDS

18 | Street Brew Angel City Brewery is 27,000 square feet and has the capability to produce 15,000 barrels a year.

52 | THE LOVED ONE Vintage inspired lingerie collection.

By Asher Under wood

By Raul Perez

| Rize of the pheonix Photography by Jeff Pearson

32 | BLOOMFEST LA A day of art & music in downtown Los Angeles Art District By Dale Youngman

By Denise Reich

GRAPHIC DESIGN Carlos Anthony Olivas Oscar Zaldaña FASHION EDITOR Kristina Dmitrieva WEB DEVELOPER Terrence Cho Music Editor Lukas Clark-Memler COPY EDITOR Celina McHugh EVENT PRODUCTION Florent Sourice

M A G A Z I N E

TONI ADZAR PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Lukas Clark-Memlar Dale Youngman Denise Reich Amorn Bholsangngam Raul Perez Asher Underwood Shilo Urban Kristina Dmitrieva

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STEVE FORD

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Asher Underwood CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Julian Berman Carsten Titlbach Fernando Diaz Francis Huynh

Waltar Rae Threat Scott Garrison Walid Azami Larissa James XL Recordings David Blumenkrants Hannah Metz Landon Metz Jeff Pearson Mischa Richter Ed Fuentes Charles & Hudson Benito Barco 433 South Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90013 213.624.3010 www.bunkerhillmagazine.com

36 ANARCHY IN THE USA T y l e r, T h e C r e a t o r â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ne w B r a n d o f P u n k

By Lukas Clark-Memler

22 KID INFINITY Innovators in electro, punk, a nd hip hop

By Amorn Bholsangngam

28 AJ SUBAT

Subat is the perfect delivery of melodrama.

By Karla Liu

48 Goodbye Gil The life a nd deat h of G i l S c o t t- He r o n

By Lukas Clark-Memler

26 ZEN FREEMAN A B r i t i s h DJ b a s e d i n Los A ngeles most well k n o w n f o r pl a y i n g h i g h prof ile events a round t h e w o rl d .

By Kristina Dmetrevia

J U LY 2 0 11

DIVE HEAD FIRST

o Cal is the land of sunshine and blue skies, so it makes sense that Los Angeles boasts some of the very best pools in the nation. While some pools require a hotel stay (or a borrowed key) to experience, some are open to all and host regular parties throughout the summer months. Which Los Angeles pool fits your summer style? Here are some of Bunker Hill Magazine’s favorite places in the city to dip, sip, splash, sun and swim: The Standard Hotel – Located on the rooftop of the Standard Hotel downtown, this happening pool and party spot provides an iconic LA experience: beauti-

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By Shilo Urban

ful people working on their tans, a heated pool surrounded by skyscrapers, fancy fruit cocktails and of course: vibrating waterbed pods. Sip a margarita by the cozy fireplaces, chill out on the red Astroturf by the unicorn-shaped topiary, or pull out a lounge chair and just relax. On Sundays you will find DJs spinning for a wet and wild crowd; at other times, entry to the rooftop and pool area is free! Beverly Hills Hotel – The one-time hangout of Elizabeth Taylor and Katharine Hepburn, this swanky and discrete pool oasis known as the “Pink Palace” features stylish striped lounge chairs and private cabanas next to the water. One of the biggest wet spots on our list, this pool is the epitome of luxury, with underwater music, fro-

INTO LA’S FINEST POOLS Photo by Carsten Titlbach

zen towels provided on command and even your personal sunglasses-cleaner. Palm Terrace – It’s the best of both worlds at the Palm Terrace of the Casa Del Mar in Santa Monica, where the pool is just a few steps from the ocean. Palm trees surround this sunny terrace with its hot tub and granite-lined pool. Enjoy the view of the Pacific from the 5th floor lounge area, book a poolside message in one of the private luxury cabanas, or dine al fresco under the stars surrounded by lush landscaping. WET – Westsiders will enjoy the luxurious pool and lounge area at the W Hotel in Westwood, known appropriately as WET. Tropical botanicals, cozy cabanas and a trickling waterfall set the scene, which is filled in by fruity cocktails and

nibbles from The Backyard Restaurant next door. Splash down in the heated pool or for a truly relaxing experience, sign up for a poolside massage from the W’s awardwinning Bliss Spa. Drai’s Hollywood – Found on top of the W Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, Drai’s is a top-notch party spot for the young, the beautiful, and the scantily clad. Like an exotic penthouse garden, the pool is lined on one side with Moroccan-style cabanas and comfy daybeds on the other. Opened just last summer, this recent addition to the local pool scene continues to attract a hot and trendy crowd; find out about weekly party announcements on Drai’s Facebook page. The Viceroy – Not one but two pools

await you at The Viceroy in Santa Monica, and so does a sexy, upscale scene. Locals and tourists alike can be found lounging poolside or ordering signature cocktails at the Cameo bar, which gets quite lively on the weekends. For a real treat or to impress a date, reserve a cabana and enjoy dinner and drinks in your private, poolside world. Mondrian Hotel – West Hollywood’s favorite place for a dip is the Sky Bar pool, located on top of the Mondrian Hotel and boasting a broad panoramic view of Los Angeles. Set flush to the teak wood deck, the pool and surrounding area also offer fantas-

tic people-watching amidst the lush trees, flowering vines and flickering lanterns that turn on at dusk. Luxe Hotel – With the heated outdoor pool at this boutique, Bel Air hotel on Sunset Boulevard offers a feeling of secluded isolation and an air of elegance and glamour. With modern decor, a minimalist aesthetic and a trendy crowd, the Luxe Hotel pool is a good choice for a chilled-out Sunday afternoon sun tanning session with the ladies. Shangri-La – Just steps from the beach in Santa Monica, the art deco Shangri-La

Photo by Fernando Diaz hotel has a small but useful pool, surrounded by snazzy private cabanas and lounge chairs. Fire pits and hand-crafted cocktails will keep you warm from the cool ocean breeze. When the evening falls – head up top to the rooftop bar for an incredible view of the Pacific Ocean and Santa Monica Pier. Tropicana Pool – For a lively and fun pool party experience, head to the Roosevelt Hotel, smack in the middle of Hollywood Boulevard. Palm trees and So Cal sunshine provide the backdrop at this verdant oasis, which despite its older age,

still draws a young crowd looking to get wet and wild. Four Seasons Beverly Hills – Recently refurbished, the pool area at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills is a high-end experience suited to the five-star customer. Alfresco dining, a relaxing whirlpool and new terrace set the luxurious scene, and the large pool has plenty of room for swimming laps or just hanging out.

By Raul Perez, Photo By Francis Huynh

W hen The Smell first opened in North Hollywood back in 1997, nobody could have ever guessed that it would have become the underground cult phenomenon that it has grown into today. What started (and still is) as an all ages, alcohol free, cost efficient safe haven for musicians all over Los Angeles has now become a county wide success, and even culturally relevant, booking bands from the farthest reaches of the globe to come here and play with anxious thrills and excitement. After The Smell relocated to Downtown LA in what used to be one of the seediest locations you could t hink of, it didn’t ta ke long to form its ow n music scene, as well as a “usua l suspects” list of lo-

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ca l pat rons t hat would event ua lly form t heir ow n movement. One of the earliest bands to come out of this movement was the primarily femalefront punk band “Mika Miko”. What started as a group of five friends merely playing music just for fun became a hit in the underground music scene, culminating in some of the hottest and sweatiest sold out shows that would ever occur at The Smell. A couple of shows later in 2005, an all “Smell band” curated show called “Under 21: A Rad Compilation of Youth” (which was curated by Mika Miko) occurred on a very special night at The Smell. It was a tribute to all of the hard working and dedicated kids under 21 that kept The Smell what it

THE SENSE OF 21, AGAIN.

was: special. On this night, practically everyone in attendance, everyone working the door, and every band playing the show was Under 21 (including the likes of Mika Miko, Abe Vigoda and the now deceased Hello Astronaut, Goodbye Television). It was events like this that kept The Smell authentic and true to its roots and promises. Years later, in an attempt to reunite the themes and vibes of the “Under 21” event, The Smell will host “Way Over 21: Fuck Me!” on Saturday, July 30th in which the remnants of Mika Miko’s ashes will be reuniting under the same roof since their breakup in 2010. This will also be visiting the idea that everyone who participated and played the “Under 21” event will now

be well past the age of 21, no fake “Under 21” ID’s will be required this time. Since their breakup, the members of Mika Miko have formed their own new projects, including Bleached, Dunes, Crazy Band, and Cold Showers, in which each contain flavorful personalities that could easily reflect on their band members’ influences. The event will also be DJ’d by former Mika Miko guitarist Michelle Suarez. The Smell is loctaed at 247 S. MAIN STREET, DTLA SATURDAY JULY 30 : “Way Over 21: Fuck Me!” A night of ex-Mika Miko members… Dunes, Bleached, Cold Showers, Crazy Band Plus DJ Michelle Suarex!

LACDA PRESENTS ANALOG TO DIGITAL: Big Names and Big Ideas

By Dale Youngman

he LA Center for Digital Art

presents a major exhibit sure to capture the attention of emerging and professional photographers, as well as those interested in all forms of digital art and photography. “Analog to Digital” explores the subtle differences and increasing similarities between work done using traditional analog procedures, and work created in the newer, expansive digital realm. The curator Rex Bruce has this to say, “The thoughtful examination of connections as opposed to differences of these forms as a focus within our exhibition illuminates important currents in contemporary artistic practice.” The exciting exhibit is certainly thought – provoking, pushing the envelope of the newest technologies, computer programs, and the increasingly sophisticated skill combinations of the artists themselves. Often utilizing multiple processes and materials, the wide range of work shown is a testament to how art created in the digital environment can be complex, brilliant and completely unique in it’s refreshing newness.

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Starting in the darkroom, photographer Joel-Peter Witkin mistreats his negatives, distressing them and reposing classic images to create bizzare tableaux pieces that are disturbing, yet strangely mesmerizing. Mark Mothersbaugh’s series of “Beautiful Mutants” begins with 19th century daguerreotype portraits, that are then scanned and manipulated to become symmetrical versions of a single image, distorting and re-shaping faces into horrific, disfigured “mutants.” You may be surprised to learn that John Baldasarri used computer assistance to create the mechanicals used in his most recent lithograph prints, which combine photography with different elements to create “knock-outs” in his work. Rex Bruce explains, “In past collaborations with master printmaker Francesco Siqueiros, the artist gave specifications in a series of documents, whereby the printmaker assembled the various elements and executed the knockouts and other required materials to fabricate the plates used in the final printing. The diptych on display for this exhibit is an excellent example of

the newer process, which in the end used 17 separate color plates for its production.” Utilizing multiple procedures, mixed media artist, Patti Heid, begins her masterpieces with digitally-created computer imagery, printed large–scale on an archival ink-jet printer. She adds acrylic airbrush painting and embellishments of hand-sewing and beading with sequins, gold thread, and semi-precious stones to create contemporary mural-size pieces with an antique tapestry feeling. Dennis Hopper’s piece, entitled “Fractured Girl (Billboard Factory)” employs traditional photography as a starting point, adding multiple images re-created, layered, and re-composed in a “fractured” image that harkens to the dreams of many a young starlet. Annaliese Veraldiev also uses multiple images of a face – her own- which are “re-dubbed, rephotographed, and reproduced” through various means, and then re-assembled, with the degenerative results becoming a focal point in the final work, which is printed large scale at high-resolution, thus amplifying the imperfections, and finally, mounting it all to a glass-

like sheet of plexi. Well-known artist Gronk takes us through multiple disciplines, from analog photography, painting, 3-D animation and various digital technologies to create his piece “Brain Flame”, a video incorporating all of his talents. Rex Bruce observes, “It is evident that the artist was attracted to the digital realm and through this work successfully crossed into it while retaining all of his highly masterful style.” Other artists included in this fascinating and enlightening exhibit are Kathryn Jacobi, Luke Matjas, Miss Maytag Collective, Federiko Solmi, and Robert Williams. “Analog to Digital” runs from July 14 to September 2, 2011. LACDA has been bringing us the best of digitally-produced art, including computer-generated and internet-based art, photography, video art, digital sculpture, and interactive multi-media since 2004. They are located at 102 West Fifth Street in Downtown Los Angeles, in the heart of Gallery Row.

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STREET BREWED DTLA’S Angel City Brewery MI C H AE L BOW E IS A BR EW MA S TE R WITH A PASSION FO R BE E R, AR T, AND LIF E.

In 1995 and 1996 he was championed the “California Homebrewer of the Year”, which led him to starting his own “Angel City Brewing” on St. Patricks day in March of 1997 in Culver City. Although he graduated from UC Davis with an Art Degree, he found out later in life that he actually had a gift in the art of beer making. Bowe purchased the Alpine Village Brewery, the oldest microbrewery in Southern California on E-Bay, which was originally started in 1988, after being fabricated in Munich Germany. Then in September 2010, Michael leased and moved into his current location at 216 South Alameda street in the historic John A Roebling & Sons Building, having their official opening (again) on St. Patrick’s Day 2011 (on the 14 year anniversary of Angel City’s founding). The ground floor of Angel City Brewery is 27,000 square feet and has the capability to produce 15,000 barrels a year (which is approximately 35,000 kegs). Some of the amazing beers include the “Angel City Lager”, which utilizes German malts and yeast, and Czech Saaz hops. Another great beer is the

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By Asher Underwood

Angel City “Che” named after the Argentian Revolutionary, which won a Gold Medal at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition. While you’re sipping your beer you can enjoy one of Cosmo’s spicy Italian Sausages with either Escarole or red peppers and onions, which really hits the spot. One of the other great things about Angel City Brewery and Michael Bowe is the way he has embraced the arts district. Currently through July 11th, nearly 25 internationally known artists are showing original art work produced on 10x12 wood panels in Angel City’s exhibition of Contemporary Street Art titled “Street Brewed.” Many of these artists are also featured in MOCA’s “Art in the Streets” show, including New York-based Ron English and Shepard Fairey. The event is as massive as the brewery itself and a real pleasure to the eye, as well as a statement that speaks to the heart. Angel City is open Thursdays through Sundays, beginning in the early afternoon and continuing to the evening with great art, Deejays spinning, incredible beers and grilled sausages. A great place to enjoy the beer garden (and art) with friends and family to top off your weekend. Find out more about Angel City Brewery at www.AngelCityBrewery.com.

Photo By Waltar

DWELL DWELL ON ON DESIGN DESIGN By Dale Youngman Photo Charles&&Hudson Hudson Photo By by Charles

utting-edge design turned up everywhere at the “Dwell on Design” interior-design showcase that took over the Downtown Convention Center June 24-26. Modern sleek and streamlined wares mixed with world-class craftsmanship to entice the eager design –enthusiasts who flocked to the consumer show billed as a “Three day celebration of Modern Design.” Hundreds of wouldbe interior decorators made their way through booth after booth of creative designs, materials, fixtures and furnishings for the home. Stunning kitchens (professional chef stoves, built-in wine closets, speed ovens), bath concepts, (walk-in tubs, sexy Jacuzzis), new building materials, from sleek veneers, “Thin Brick” (at Arto Brick) to wide wood planking, bamboo alternatives and Italian ceramic tiles from hundreds of international companies left no one unsatisfied. Completing the picture - contemporary art, sculpture, and unique lighting applications to accessorize the home you’ll never want to leave. With a focus on becoming more environmen-

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tally-conscious, the “Energy & Resources” area had companies promoting solar –heating, organic gardening, “landscape architecture” (at Shades of Green LA) indoor/ outdoor living, pre-fab housing, (Bluhomes.com and Roger Kurath) and a myriad of alternatives for living a greener lifestyle. Recycling, re-using and re-purposing items continued to be a prevalent theme. Some of my favorites - “A Zillion Ideas” that uses vintage Japanese kimono fabrics for baseball caps and casual clothing, as well as decorative skateboards. Hate air-conditioning like I do? Look up “Big Ass Fans-” that are energy –efficient, attractive, and most importantly – quiet! Furniture -as -art, art-as-carpeting, contemporary paintings for outdoor patios (like Bradford Stewart’s big outdoor abstracts) -technical designers, craftsmen and artists coagulate to deliver some of the most attractive functional art-as-furnishings for sophisticated high-style and comfortable living. Don’t miss next year’s Dwell On Design and become your own favorite interior designer!

Bunker Hill presents DTLA’s Decisive Directory

NG I M ST O C GU AU 011 2

The Best Hotels. Late Night Cafe’s. Late Night Restaurants. Live Music. Movie Premiers. Local Festivals. Monthly Ticket Give-aways. Ticket give-aways Curtesy of empirevip.com The Ultimate Global Source for Entertainment SPONSOR

The Stander Arts Project Stander Premium Soda in conjunction with Bunker Hill Magazine & Groundfloor Gallery, announces the August 2011 launch of the Stander Arts Project. For early details, visit www.thestanderartsproject.com

FINE ART GALLERY

KID IN S

ince transplanting themselves into the heart of Los Angeles from their respective East Coast hometowns, Ryan Pardeiro and Nathan Huber, better known to their legion of neon-clad followers as Kid Infinity, have continually woven a place for themselves in the city’s rich musical tapestry as innovators in electro, punk, and hip hop. Their distinctive blend of abrasive beats, playfully snarky rhymes, and uninhibited, fuck-it-all energy has become a fixture in the joyous noise pollution that has come to characterize the greatest nights Downtown has to offer its patrons. Their legendary (not to mention groundbreaking) 3D shows, which employ visual technology originally intended to debut on Michael Jackson’s ill-fated This is It

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tour, have earned them a well-deserved reputation as the most forward thinking party starters in town. Pardeiro and Huber have turned their adopted home into a place a little easier to dance, mosh, and grind in. But the dance-pop duo’s evolution into the hard-partying darlings of L.A.’s underground music scene didn’t occur overnight. Four years ago, neither of them had ever even touched a sequencer, much less knew of the delicate balance in commanding an audience. The creative potential in electronic music had to present itself to the pair before they would christen themselves Kid Infinity. Pardeiro, once a self-proclaimed “rock kid who played guitar all the time,” explains, “My headspace wasn’t in the music world at the time. I had sort of moved away from it and

FINITY

By Amorn Bholsangngam

was working in film. But then one night, I was randomly drunk over at a friend’s place, and he had just set up a new microphone in his recording booth. We were just fucking around and taking turns singing into the mic. And just like some clichéd Hollywood story plays out, he ends up showing that track to some electronic producer friend of his who asks, ‘Who’s that guy? I want to meet him. That guy’s going to be something.’” He parlayed that serendipitous recording into work as a vocalist on several house tracks. One night of drunken debauchery had led Pardeiro stumbling mouth first into unfamiliar but exciting territory. Suddenly, the rock kid was thrust into a world of blips and beeps and chest-rattling bass, not to mention producers who didn’t exactly ac-

commodate his punk rock aesthetic. “I didn’t vibe with any of those guys creatively because they wanted something really specific - standard house vocals. I had that rock mentality of let’s try this and let’s try that. So I get myself an MPC, and that’s how I started making this weird electronic music that really doesn’t fit into the house music genre. It’s this weird hodgepodge of hip hop, rock, and electro, and naturally, they didn’t know what the hell to make of it. They wanted something very, very straightforward, and that’s not at all what I’m interested in,” muses Pardeiro. Having jumped ship from the constrictive house music projects he had been working on, the MC was in search of a new partner in crime, one that would actually facilitate his artistic ambitions instead of stifling them. He

Photo By Rae Threat

found the perfect match in an old partner in crime – his college schoolmate, roommate, friend, and constant collaborator Nathan Huber. Huber had acquired a taste for the genre since attending Daft Punk’s Alive tour (“It really sold me on electronic music”) and was looking to explore similar sonic terrain. It was a no-brainer to enlist Huber, an enthusiast on the nuances of sound, to man the decks and control the electronics in spite of their vast differences. “We come from two different worlds. I listen to a lot of Beach Boys and Animal Collective, and they’re major influences for me. Ryan comes from a completely different school of music, which is cool because it gives us the ability to bridge the gap between genres,” says Huber. Pardeiro elaborates, “We complement each other in a strange way because we’re polar op-

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posites. We have a lot of mutual respect for each other, so we’re able to work well together with those differences instead of butting heads all the time. In the end, each of us makes up for what the other person lacks. That’s what helps us make much stronger art. We would each have a tendency toward something a lot weaker without having someone else to balance things out.” There was still a lot of work, a lot of development in their music as well as their stage show, to be done after the two joined forces. Kid Infinity played its very first show at Chinatown’s Mountain Bar in 2008, and it was a far cry from the raging, raucous, sweat-drenched dance marathons that their 3D shows are these days. “We didn’t know what we were doing. We were just discovering our sound, how to perform, and what are vibe was going to be. We

K.I 3-D Show The Palm Court Ballroom, Alexandria Hotel Photo By Scott Garrison

messed around for a while before we found what we were supposed to be,” Pardeiro reflects on the early stages of the group. Over time, however, the duo has refined its sonic identity and transformed its performances into full blown events. Pardeiro has come into his own as a frontman, exuding charisma and manic energy that makes every crowd want to dance through the night. Huber has grown into a bold and innovative producer with a fine ear for texture and rhythm. The infectious “P.Y.C.O.” is a certified anthem that elicits “heys” and “hos” out of every person in attendance at their shows. Their 3D concerts, the first of which Pardeiro describes as “the best night of my life,” are some of the most acclaimed and hotly anticipated events in town. And they even had a homeless man thank them endlessly for bringing the party to his home in an abandoned parking garage dur-

ing the last FMLY ride. With all of their recent triumphs, preserving the restless creative spirit that the group was forged on is Kid Infinity’s top priority, according to Huber. “It’s still morphing. That’s part of what Ryan and I do. We make sure we don’t get stagnant and that everything has a different flavor. With what we’re creating, we’re always trying to push ourselves in different directions. It’s all based on the moment we’re in as we’re creating it. You never know what we’re going to get, but we’re going to keep experimenting.” www.kidinfinity.com

ZEN

M REE

en Freeman is a British DJ based in Los Angeles most well known for playing high profile events around the world. At 14 years old Zen Freeman was making mixe cassettes to entertain his friends on their bus journey from their home town to school in the East Midlands of the UK. He moved to Los Angeles in 2001 where he continues to live and work as a DJ, producer and music supervisor and his “mix tapes” are now used by corporations like Chanel, Soho House, Morgans Hotel Group and Weinstein Company to entertain their guests at chic events and Hollywood parties. He is well known in the celebrity circuit and has become a DJ of choice among the rich and famous with an A-list clientele playing the likes of Elton John’s Oscar party and Microsoft founder Paul Allen’s ultra exclusive Cannes Film Festival and St Barts New Years parties. When Zac Effron wanted someone to DJ for his girlfriend Vannessa Hudgens’ 21st birthday party, he turned to Zen, so did Justin Timberlake, Robbie Williams, Ryan Seacrest,

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Miley Cyrus, Molly Sims and Nicole Ritchie to name a few. Zen is a well established club and event DJ. His nearly telepathic ability to read a crowd has lead him to open shows for international performers such as Paul Oakenfold, Katy Perry, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Pete Tong, Felix Da Housecat, Diplo. Vampire Weekend and Foo Fighters. Playing worldwide to audiences reaching several thousands, like his weekly residency for Perfecto at the 25,000 sq ft Rain Nightclub at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and the after party for the Monaco Grand Prix. He DJ’s at many of Hollywood’s hottest clubs and is a favorite among corporate clients for highprofile events like this year’s Victoria’s Secret “What is Sexy?” party and US Weekly’s 10th Anniversary Party and has a client list including brands like Hugo Boss, Chanel, Mercedes Benz and Grey Goose, media clients Extra!, VH1 and MTV, Myspace, ESPN and electronics giants Apple, Sony and LG. He is popular on the Film Festival circuit and plays every year at Sundance, Toronto and Cannes.

AJ SUBAT by karla liu

sometimes feel like songwriters are like pioneers…the good ones dare venture into uncharted territory… sometimes scary lonely places,” proclaims AJ Subat, the 25 year old Orange County native, who now resides in Downtown LA. Strongly rooted in his Afghan heritage, the UCLA alum’s musical experiences didn’t stray far from his cultural identity until five years ago when he caught soul crooner John Legend performing “If You’re Out There” on the Bill Maher show. “I was really into the elections and that song showed me that change can happen through art.” recalls Subat, who then made the “official” decision to dip his hands into popular music.

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photography walid azami

The result is a compelling dichotomy of East meets West. A unique of Afghan inspired cadences and structure, blended with Western melodic progressions. Musically, Subat is the perfect delivery of melodrama. His tracks are more often than not moody and somber, an earnest self-reflection of his self-perceived shortcomings. “I’m always looking for that perfect place,” laments Subat, and it is precisely that strive for the unattainable that allows him to create painstakingly honest and relatable music. As a self-proclaimed “creator”, Subat looks to every element of his songs to come together as one cinematic soundboard. If it’s regret that he wants the listener to feel, every word, note and drum snare will reflect that exact sentiment. Take Subat’s song “I Think I Love You Now”, a blatant admittance of regret involving a breakup. Melancholy strings and heavily reverberated vocals adds a level of sincerity and complexity to his literal lyrics: “I said I loved you/I played you like a game/…even though you said goodbye/I have to show

you what you what I realized/I think I love you now.” Subat’s track, “Fighting For”, brings that notion of audio storytelling to life. On one hand, the song is a ferocious battle track dedicated to Subat’s doubters; on the other, it is a dejected admittance of defeat: “My dreams/my war/what am I fighting for?” The production provides the right amount of ruggedness the song deserves. The piano serves to maintain a mid-tempo pace needed to give off a sense of determination; the generous use of the guitar amp throughout every instrument, including his voice, initiates the rawness and destitution of Subat’s message. “The Walls” features two very different personas, one riddled with insecurities and a voice that appears to Subat in a dream, a voice of encouragement and reassurance. Throughout the whole song, the two opposing forces debate and dance back-and-forth. The track opens to a simple and tender

piano rift, followed by a soft and clean orchestral back track, as he sings, “I said I’m in so much pain/I said I don’t feel sane”. The confident counterpart replies “You must search your heart/you will see it all.” Simultaneously, the song picks up in tempo, and the orchestral backdrop is warped and synthesized to give the song an energizing effect. Just before the chorus, the music rapidly swells to an assertive chorus, as Subat realizes his potential: “I believe that I can see it all so clearly now/so clearly now.” “The Walls” is a subtle, but pleasant reminder that all is not hopeless in Subat’s world, and deep down in his seemingly tortured musical voice lies much deserved selfconfidence. www.ajsubat.com

ConfidenceRocks:

Inside the Rock N’ Roll Camp for Girls, Los Angeles BY Denise Reich Photography Larissa James

“S

chool’s out for summer,” to quote Alice Cooper. For a handful of girls between the ages of 8 and 17, however, the lessons are just beginning. Their summer camp experience won’t be about swimming or kickball. It will be about blazing guitar chords and cymbal crashes; about creating ‘zines, writing lyrics and forming bands. It will be about learning to rock n’ roll…and more importantly, it will be about learning to rock self-esteem and confidence. At the end of July, these girls will be participating in the second season of Rock N’ Roll Camp for Girls Los Angeles. The original Rock Camp for Girls was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2001. In the decade since, musicians and artists in cities across the USA and Canada have been moved to establish their own camps. All of the programs are independent, but they network and support each other through the Girls Rock Camp Alliance coalition. The Alliance has grown to include 29 programs in the United States, Canada, Sweden and Germany, and the movement has been covered in various media outlets. Participants from the original Portland camp were followed in the 2008

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documentary film Girls Rock. Over the years, a number of promising bands and players have emerged from girls’ rock camps. They include Still Saffire, who have been playing out in notable New York City venues for the past two years and have recorded an EP, and The Jagged Tulips, who opened for Nina Hagen at Estrojam in Chicago. Musical success notwithstanding, the goal of the camps is not to produce the next Lita Ford, Cyndi Lauper or Kim Gordon. It is to foster confidence, independence and creativity. “I hope that girls leave camp more empowered, and more sure of who they are,” says Becky Gebhardt, co-founder of Rock N’ Roll Camp for Girls Los Angeles. Gebhardt and Mona Tavakoli, bandmates in the folk-rock band Raining Jane, first became involved with rock camps for girls when they decided to volunteer in Portland in 2005. The experience motivated them to create a similar program in Los Angeles, but the dream would not be realized for several years. “We knew L.A. needed a camp, but our tour schedule was really intense for many years and we just were not available to make it happen,” Gebhardt said.

“When Raining Jane decided to take a break from touring in the fall of 2009, we realized it was a good opportunity to launch a rock camp for girls here in our home town. We were surprised it hadn’t happened yet.” The Los Angeles camp welcomed its first group of 41 campers in the summer of 2010. The session culminated with a performance at the Troubadour in West Hollywood. In the spring of 2011, a Ladies Camp fundraiser allowed 24 women to have a rock camp experience, complete with a showcase at The Satellite. “They get to do basically what the girls do, only in a shorter amount of time,” Gebhardt said. “It was an amazing, transformative experience for both the participants and the instructors. And we raised a significant amount of money to help fund the summer camp.” A typical day at camp includes instrument instruction and song-writing clinics, supplemental activities such as screen printing workshops and self-defense courses, and “punk aerobics”. During lunch, the girls are treated to performances and question and answer sessions with successful female musicians. At the 2010 session, lunchtime musical guests ran the

gamut from rappers to bagpipe players. The goal for the week? To compose and perform an original song. “Many of the girls start the week of camp not really believing that they can play an instrument or write a song, but as the days go by, they come out of their shells and rise to the occasion,” said Gebhardt. Rock N’ Roll Camp tries to offer financial aid for campers in need—the Ladies Camp also functions as a fundraiser for the girls’ programs. Gebhardt noted that given the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, simply getting to the camp location could be an insurmountable obstacle for some prospective participants. “Transportation and geography can be a problem. Because L.A. is so big and spread out, and because getting around can be difficult and there isn’t a lot of great public transit, there are some girls who would like to attend the program but cannot because of lack of transportation.” The camp’s wish list is long; funds are limited. Gebhardt would eventually like to see the camp expand to include two summer sessions and a year-round after school program. Additional instruments are needed for the campers; storage space is needed to house them; rehearsal space is needed to play them. While the original rock camp in Portland has its own building, the nascent Los Angeles program sets up shop in a parochial school in Downtown L.A. All of the instructors and staff members volunteer their time. Gebhardt and her team are aware of the challenges and remain dedicated to building Southern California’s only rock camp for girls. The results--girls who believe in themselves--are worth more than any Grammy or gold record. “The girls are really challenged,” explained Gebhardt. “They have to work as a group, solve problems and make a lot of decisions. On top of it all, they have to perform on stage in front of a big audience. Every girl goes through this process at camp, and they all get through it. They end the week with a huge sense of accomplishment. I think any time a person faces a challenge or steps outside of their comfort zone, there’s a great opportunity for growth and building self-esteem.” For information on Rock N’ Roll Camp for Girls Los Angeles, visit www.rockcampforgirlsla.org.

BLOOM FEST LA A DAY OF ART & MUSIC IN THE DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES ARTS DISTRICT By Dale Youngman Photos by Ed Fuentes

he 4th Annual Bloomfest LA is coming up on Saturday, July 23, and promises to be bigger and better than ever. This free event is held in Joel Bloom Square – at the intersection of Traction Ave. and 3rd St. just east of Alameda St. near Little Tokyo in the Downtown Arts District. Festivities begin at 2 pm and continue until 10 pm, with an explosive all-day music line-up, art tours, artisan crafts, food trucks, a beer garden, community booths, and more. The annual event began in 2008 as a memorial tribute to Joel Bloom, an avid arts advocate, and a driving force behind the establishment of the Los Angeles Downtown Arts District. The art and music festival has grown up since its first block party in 2008, which was originally a fund-raiser to keep Bloom’s General Store open after its founder’s untimely death. With the addition of some well-known local indie bands including headliner Ozom-

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atli’s Raul Pacheco & The Little Bastards, followed by Hello Vegas, and Bullet & Snowfox, this street party is sure to attract more than just the locals. Evening headliners include Grouplove, Voxhaul Broadcast, Eastern Conference Champions, Chicano Batman and Love Grenades. Throughout the day in between the live sets, enjoy the musical stylings of KCRW DJs Mario Cotto, Anthony Valadez, and Raul Campos. Each act will perform a half-hour set. The Arts District is known for its dense concentration of artists. Enjoy local galleries including Art Share Los Angeles, at the corner of 4th Place and Hewitt, The Factory Gallery at 912 East Third St. Studio 204, and the original home of the Museum of Neon Art, at Lili Lakich’s studio, 704 Traction Ave. (Most galleries open 2-6 pm) One-hour tours of the bold and brilliant commissioned street art murals will be conducted by LA Freewalls during daylight hours. Many neighboring

artist studios will also be open to the public for touring and shopping. When hunger sets in, there’s no need to leave the festival. New to the neighborhood, NOLA’s will be serving up New Orleans–style red beans and rice and other specialties of the house right in the thick of it all, at Traction Ave. & 3rd St. Outside is BloomfestLA’s urban “Picnic in the Streets” with NOLA’s ribs, Café Metropol’s famous burgers, La Reyna’s tacos, Sno-Con Amor’s gourmet all-natural shaved ice treats, and Divine Dips Vegan Ice Crème. Across Joel Bloom Square, Wurstküche will be grilling up their signature exotic sausages, Novel Café is the place for caffeine and a quick sandwich, and Café Metropol offers a quiet respite just a couple blocks away. Another new favorite sure to attract the hot and thirsty is Angel City Brewing, where Brewmaster Michael Bowe creates some very tasty beer right on the premises, with a lively outdoor area and well-known DJs, I & I Sound System. In case

that’s not enough, a few upscale food trucks will take up residence nearby, including Chef Ludo’s popular LudoTruck. Other participants in the event include sponsors American Apparel with live t-shirt printing; Whole Foods Market with its green village featuring Reed’s Ginger Brew, Lifeway Kefir, and Honest Tea; S.O. Terik; Arts District Healing Center; LARABA; Edgar Varela Fine Arts; and CauseConnect.

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ANARC IN TH USA:

CHY HE Tyler, The Creatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New Brand of Punk

By Lukas Clark-Memler Photography by Julian Berman

On November 6th, 1975, Sid Vicious walked onto the stage of London’s St. Martin’s College and changed the world. Although the Sex Pistols’ debut performance was cut short by the College’s dean who ostensibly called the music “extremely loud,” Vicious still had time to spit at the audience, destroy his amplifier and get into a fight with the soundman. It truly was one for the history books. Fast forward 36 years, and we find a similar occurrence at the Majestic Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA) had to cut their concert short after one of their more provocative numbers caused mass rioting. And when a broken glass bottle was thrown at a doorman, it was decided the ten-member hip hop collective must vacate the premises. Three days earlier, at an album signing in Boston, hundreds of youth congregated outside Newbury Comics eager

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for a glimpse of the already-infamous crew. A few members of Odd Future scaled neighboring roofs and reportedly riled up the crowd with pugilistic cries of revolution and antipolice taunts. The teenage crowd responded in kind, with anarchic rioting that resulted in the hospitalization of a police officer and the incarceration of a 13-year old schoolgirl. Welcome to the strange and frightening world of the Wolf Gang. The parallels between Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All and the Sex Pistols are surprisingly many considering their reversed polarities. Both embody the punk ethos of anti-status quo, and strive for the upheaval of regularity. And Odd Future’s oftmasked quixotic leader Tyler, The Creator (birth name: Tyler Okonma) is remarkably Vicious-like in character. Like the late Sid Vicious, Tyler is a symbol of rebellion and contention, transcending his 20-year old asthma-afflicted body. He revolts against what is mass consumed, what is mass marketed and what is perceived as ‘in.’ While

Tyler and Sid may share a similar nihilistic manifesto, their means of generating social disorder differ entirely. But this is less to do with the individual, as it is to do with their generational gap. In the late 1970s, Vicious’ raw power chords, ripped jeans and safety pins made him an antihero capable of subverting an entire nation. In contemporary society, the Vicious model makes up half of the current whiny and pretentious alt-rock scene, which in turn subsidizes the hegemony of corporate record labels – a pseudo-anti authority façade obscuring the compromised artistic integrity beneath. The Sid Vicious of 1975 would no longer seem so radical. Enter Tyler, The Creator with a new punk aesthetic that threatens to overshadow the Sex Pistols’ formative era. Tyler’s sophomore release Goblin is to 2011, as Never Mind The Bollocks… was to 1977. But Tyler has inherited an inherently more difficult cultural milieu than his predecessors. Namely he is faced with the question: how does one shock a desensitized generation raised on Grand Theft Auto and Tarantino-brand violence? How can one be seen as radical in a society where social revolution happens over the Internet, and anyone can slander the government via the omnipresent Blogosphere? The answer lies in heightened levels of obscenity; Publicizing one’s darkest and most taboo thoughts; Expressing gratuities that were previously left to horror directors and sociopaths. Labeling Tyler, The Creator as punk has problems that did not exist in the genre’s halcyon days. The issue with conventional taxonomy is that once a genre tag is used to categorize subversive behavior, or capture a transient zeitgeist of revolutionary nature, it loses meaning. Once the term punk was applied to radicalism of the ‘70s, it generated hordes of imitators and followers. Corporate America began selling the “punk” image. Major labels began producing punk artists. The punk lifestyle was for sale at your local superstore; half price. Today, punk as a subculture preaches conformity more than rebellion. Through years of commercialization and gentrification, punk was pacified. So in associating Odd Future with punk, we are inadvertently perpetuating the idea of followership – painting Tyler and his disciples as descen-

dants rather than insurgents; their revolt an imitation rather than an organic response to current social trends. Odd Future embody the original punk ideal of cultural subversion – rather than simply occupying the punk sound. In fact Tyler, The Creator’s sound is not punk at all. Rather more akin to early ‘90s hip hop – the likes of The Neptunes, Anti-Pop Consortium or N.W.A. But Goblin is far more introspective and reflective than any of its hip hop, rap or indeed punk influences. The sound is reminiscent of the dramatic renderings of Beat poetry, with solo instrument (for the Beatniks it was the bongos, for Tyler it’s stark piano chords) punctuated by sporadic verse and calculated silence; the elements of an intense theatrical performance. Tyler’s is a therapeutic reconciliation with his past – a purging of his long-buried subconscious. The post teen prodigy proudly wears his heart on his sleeve, and exorcises his demons with unnerving candor. Far removed from the welltread tropes of punk culture, the Wolf Gang collective seem hell-bent on creating a subculture of their own. A culture founded on shock and misogyny. Violence and racism. Tyler tackles these subjects with a disconcerting gusto; an air of nonchalance that juxtaposes the generally-unmentionable lyrical themes. The subversive imagery exudes a certain punk ethos; one of rage and frustration with authority. But it’s Tyler’s authenticity and conviction that saves Goblin. Tyler’s cavalier promotion of rape, his rhapsodies on murder, his overtures to violence – they all seem to be, inasmuch as these subject matters can be, authentic. So how does one rationalize the vulgar and morally reprehensible musings of this gifted and articulate young poet? Tyler’s own justification for his obscenities comes in the title track of Goblin: “They claim the shit I say is just wrong. Like nobody has those really dark thoughts when alone. I’m just a teenager who admits he’s suicide prone.” Herein lies Tyler, The Creator and Odd Future’s populist appeal – they voice

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what was previously left unvoiced. Tyler’s latest release could have been named after 2010’s unequivocal best record: Kanye’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. That is Goblin: a beautiful dark twisted fantasy. As Tyler told the Guardian, “A lot of people have sick, twisted fantasies, so why not give them something to relate to?” If record sales of Goblin are anything to go by, it seems that a lot of people indeed have sick and twisted fantasies. Which is exactly why the album is creating such a stir. The venerable sage Leonard Cohen once told us that, “there is a war between ones who say there is a war, and the ones who say there isn’t.” Odd Future is the crude articulation of angst and depression in a nation that swears it doesn’t have any; shameless denial from a Prozacdependent populace. The aforementioned war is between two clear groups: Tyler and his cohorts (and indirectly every person who helped Goblin break into the US Billboard top 5), against everyone who denounces Tyler’s musings as “ego-maniacal nihilism” (LA Times). Tyler sheds a light on the dark thoughts society refuses to acknowledge. The Wolf Gang scream loudly and profanely that this unjust and morally corrupt society must have an extreme effect on our lives – repercussions that are not voiced in fear of disrupting the social flow. Tyler’s harrowing pleas may shock, but ultimately they attempt to reawaken our dormant and listless youth; youth who are consoled by MTV, who live vicariously through Sims and who escape from the real world, rather ironically, via social networking. That’s what Goblin is: A hypnogogic jerk, accompanied by a vertiginous feeling of falling - jolting us awake. We need it, no matter how much we protest and resist. Goblin begins with the voice of Tyler’s therapist (Dr. TC: Tyler’s Conscience) welcoming him back to the couch: “It’s been a while since our last session. So, tell me what’s been going on.” Thus, the album is a clear follow-up to 2009’s criminally underrated Bastard. Though

Photo courtesy of XL Recordings

it seems that Tyler has not made much improvement psychologically over the past two years. If anything, things have gotten worse. Success and celebrity endorsements have created an unbeknownst pressure: “Since Kanye tweeted tellin’ people he’s bumpin’ all of my shit, these motherfuckers think I’m supposed to live up to something.” Bastard was a giddy exegesis of internal retrospection – hazy mordant beats, undercut by frighteningly raspy albeit mellifluous vocals (think Tom Waits meets Gil Scott-Heron). Goblin takes a step in the licentious direction of maturity – an interesting paradox. In fact paradoxical is perhaps the most appropriate term to define an album that is as indefinable as they come. “Yonkers,” Tyler’s most accessible track marks the pinnacle of his short but triumphant career. The Hitchcockesque spoken-word fugue, sends Tyler straight to the annals of independent hip hop. Like The Clash’s “London Calling” condemned Beatlemania and Brit-pop in general, “Yonkers” attacks a current musical obsession: corporatized hip hop and contemporary R&B. “Yonkers” is a bold statement against the prescriptive banality of the studio sounds - Bruno Mars and B.O.B. are both viciously damned. Goblin is an album of dichotomies: Dr. TC’s avuncular bonhomie is no match for Tyler’s aggressively bipolar thematic swings. “Radicals” is reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s The Wall’s adolescent anarchism, and with its screamalong refrain - “kill people, burn shit, fuck school” - it’s impossible not to get swept up

in the maelstrom. On a humorous note, the track begins with a disclaimer: “don’t do anything that I say in this song. Okay? It’s fucking fiction. If anything happens, don’t blame me White America.” On the other end of the spectrum is “Sandwitches” – which explicitly encourages attacks on the same ‘White America’ Tyler just warned. No disclaimers here. When the listener is urged to “buy guns and kill those kids with dads and moms, with nice homes, 401ks and nice ass lawns” the mood is more envious than violent: a cocktail of selfloathing jealousy and bilious frustration. An envious kid, still hurting from the rejection of his father. Then just when you thought you had Tyler all figured out, he throws you a curve ball with the sprawling instrumental “AU79.” The somnambulant interlude offers us a chance to digest the past 13 tracks, and revel in the haunting sonic shades before the chilling final curtain call. Goblin is an unpunctuated and sprawling labyrinth; monolithically dark from its hopeful start, all the way to the final murderous showdown (spoiler alert: Tyler kills the rest of the Wolf Gang at the end of the therapy session). Goblin takes you headfirst into the solipsistic nightmare of Tyler’s life. It’s an album of contrast: hopes and dreams turn into doubts and fears as fast as Tyler spits his lyrics. It isn’t always easy to consume, but the naked, hypnotic beauty of the soundscapes Tyler has created overshadows the disturbing lyrics. At first listen, Goblin resembles a Clockwork

Orange-type anarchy – disarray, amorality and graphic violence. But like Kubrick’s brilliant psycho-satirical opus, Goblin reveals hidden depths the more you experience it. The von Trier-esque gratuities are there not to offend, but to shock; to catch one off guard, and break through the bourgeois veneer we hide behind in fear of revealing our pathological dark side. But after a few tracks the obscenities fade into the background - we become desensitized - and Tyler’s angst and profoundly, if not profanely, articulate lyricism take center stage. However, brevity is not one of Goblin’s strong points. The album runs for a lengthy 73 minutes, and is too unabridged to function as a coherent narrative. What begins as inspired, slowly morphs to insipid. Fascinating to tedious. And the third act of Goblin comes across as self-amusing petulance. Tyler’s cre-

might just as well say that ‘I see what I eat’ is the same thing as ‘I eat what I see!’” The ethos of Odd Future is simple and effective – and it relates back to the central punk thesis. This is best articulated in the hyperaddictive “Sandwitches” (which features Wolf Gang comrade, Hodgy Beats): “They are them, we are us, kill them, all.” An ‘us vs. them’ mentality, where ‘them’ is pretty much everyone: critics, artists and listeners; consumers and producers; rich and poor; black and white. You’re either with ‘em or against ‘em – though they will always be against you, despite your allegiance. This gives Goblin an exclusive feel. It explains the preternatural hype, and suffocating Internet buzz that Odd Future has received. We love exclusivity, and the idea that

Like the late Sid Vicious, Tyler is a symbol of rebellion and contention; transcending his 20-year old asthma-afflicted body. He revolts against what is massconsumed, what is mass marketed and what is perceived as ‘in.’ ative ability is indisputable, but his editing skills need some work. In the wrong hands Goblin could come across as social voyeurism: a tantalizing glimpse of a lifestyle few could truly fathom. Taken literally, Tyler’s sexual innuendo and Technicolor depictions of rape and murder would disgust and offend all sects of society. But this is an album that should not be taken at its word. Tyler, The Creator, says what goes through his mind, and expresses his darkest thoughts; he says what he means, but one should not automatically conclude that he means what he says. The two are not the same, as Lewis Carroll’s Mad Hatter knows only too well: “You

we can experience the happenings of their private club, is enough to tempt even the most chaste. We are clandestine listeners, skulking at the top stair, ear to the closed door, eye to the keyhole. (In this context Goblin does seem to pander to voyeurism). But this also lets Tyler off the hook for his wanton, ultraviolent imagery. Because it is the Odd Future universe we occupy. We abide by their compromised values. But in the end Tyler knows we will never truly understand the Wolf Gang: “They don’t get it ‘cause it’s not made for them.” But who ‘they’ refers to is not clear. ‘Everyone’ seems to be the likely answer. So don’t be surprised if you don’t ‘get’ Tyler’s

messages. The music was not made for you, or me...or anyone else. He made it for himself, as Tyler said directly from his Tweet-machine: “It’s funny when people think (an) artist made an album for them to enjoy or like personally. No, Goblin was made for me to listen to.” Don’t write Goblin off merely as a perverse murderous diatribe. Instead, try to appreciate Tyler’s unique attempt at psychoanalysis. Experience the self-therapy of Goblin and the insecurities and sick neuroses that are uncovered. The listener gets a rare chance to occupy Tyler’s headspace, and by the end of it you may just understand what makes a teenager possess such dark thoughts. Or, it may just be the source of recurring nightmares.

easily consumed; they aim to shock and to disarm. Some topics are offensive and wrong; crass and detestably juvenile. But the dissatisfaction of an entire generation is not a pleasant sound. The world of the ‘70s needed a Sid Vicious. But in our turbulent and unhopeful times, Tyler, The Creator could be a prime candidate to lead the current wolf pack to social justice. Goblin is Tyler’s vehicle; his manifesto of disillusionment. It is not for everyone, and is as disturbing as anything to come out of pop culture recently. But Goblin is a masterpiece for those capable of stomaching young Tyler’s debauched yet thought-provoking musings. One that will surely leave a firm mark on generations to come.

Yes, the lyrical themes of Goblin are not

Odd Future is the crude articulation of angst and depression in a nation that swears it doesn’t have any; shameless denial from a Prozac-dependent populace.

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Photo courtesy of XL Recordings

The Life & Death of Gil Scott-Heron By Lukas Clark-Memlar

“He who approaches the temple of the Muses without inspiration, in the belief that craftsmanship alone suffices, will remain a bungler and his presumptuous poetry will be obscured by the songs of the maniacs.” Plato

il Scot t-Heron died at the age of 62. He is frequently referred to as “the godfather of rap” - an epithet the man does not like. He has also been called “the voice of revolution” and “the black Bob Dylan” – nicknames he has not commented on (but probably enjoys). In a way, Scott-Heron is an artist who will be remembered more for his impact than his actual sound. Credited for pioneering the spoken-word movement, infusing political insight into R&B, and shaping the very fabric of rap lyricism (though he doesn’t like to admit it), ScottHeron’s influence will far outlive his body. And if you consider the fact that the man spent almost 30 years of his career inactive and struggling with

addiction, it makes his potent impact all the more impressive. Gil Scott-Heron never intended to make music. Instead he had planned to go down the authorial route; a stout devotee of the poet and novelist Langston Hughes. In fact ScottHeron attended Lincoln University, Hughes’ alma mater. It was here that Gil would not only write two novels, but also meet Brian Jackson – the catalyst behind Gil Scott-Heron’s music career, and a collaborator that would last through to the end. In 1970, when Gil was twenty one, he recorded a radical spoken-word fugue titled, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” The track’s overt intellectualism and acerbic social critique made it an instant classic; it introduced the Gil Scott-Heron to the world, and sent the Chicagoan straight to the annals of independent R&B. Gil Scott-Heron became a reluctant political commentator; the revolutionary and poetic ethos shaped his first three albums. Though

sound-wise Scott-Heron’s early recordings are hugely different, and represent the artist at various arcs of his short-lived trajectory, 1970’s Small Talk at 125th and Lenox - defined by the aforesaid “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” - delivered Scott-Heron’s unique blend of activism and Beat poetry to an audience of radicals. Like Allen Ginsberg’s Howl, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (and “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” in particular) became the liner notes to a generation –hyper-alert stream-of-consciousness littered with pop culture anecdotes. “The revolution will not be televised. The revolution will not be brought to you by Xerox In 4 parts without commercial interruptions. The revolution will not show you pictures of Nixon blowing a bugle and leading a charge by John Mitchell, General Abrams and Spiro Agnew to eat hog maws confiscated from a Harlem sanctuary. The revolution will not be televised.” Pieces of a Man (1971) and Free Will (1972) saw Scott-Heron’s first commercial collaborations with Brian Jackson. The large shadow Gil cast with “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” was difficult for the artist to shed. He had already solidified himself as the prime purveyor of wit and fearless polemic, and had achieved a cult-like following far surpassing his spoken-word predecessors. But instead of carving a new niche as so many artists do on their sophomore album, Scott-Heron simply repackaged “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” into a mordant and lavishly instrumented parcel. On Pieces of Man the track seemed less like a plea for action, and more

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the lament of the inevitable. The neo-soul blueprint Scott-Heron created on Pieces of Man and Free Will became the template for the rest of his career; a template that would shape contemporary rap and hip hop. Various members of the rap hegemony credit ScottHeron as their primary influence. Chuck D of Public Enemy, upon hearing of Gil’s death, took to his Twitter to proclaim: “We do what we do because of you.” (The revolution won’t be televised, but it might be Tweeted). African American culture critic, Nelson George called Gil Scott-Heron a “keyboardist, poet, singer, rapper, and teller of uncomfortable truths.” It is the latter that best defines the poet – as uncomfortable truths seemed to be a milieu Scott-Heron most comfortably inhabited. These truths ranged from political diatribe, to ghetto existentialism, to musings on the dangers of substance abuse. Oh the irony. In 1974, Scott-Heron became the first signing on the newly formed Arista Records. This label was the passion project of Columbia Records president, Clive Davis, the man who brought the world Santana, Rod Stewart and Patti Smith. On Gil Scott-Heron, Clive told Rolling Stone Magazine: “Not only is he an excellent poet, musician and performer – three qualities I look for that are rarely combined – but he’s a leader of social thought.” Scott-Heron would release nine albums with Arista, before leaving the label in the late ‘80s. For the next two decades, Gil Scott-Heron avoided the spotlight.

Photo by David Blumenkrantz

While the new millennium brought with it hope and promise to most, it was the beginning of the end for Gil Scott-Heron. In the formative years of the aughts, Scott-Heron’s ostensible private struggles with addiction became public; he was arrested in 2001 for possession of cocaine, and then again in 2006 for violating parole. In 2008 it was revealed Gil was HIV positive. I’m New Here was released in 2010 to critical acclaim. This was Gil Scott-Heron’s thirteenth studio album, and his first original recording in sixteen years. It saw ScottHeron revert to his initial spoken-word style, but instead of revolution of social justice, this was the fractured sound of a man looking within. I’m New Here, while familiar in

sound, marked a departure in lyrical themes. An album of introspection and retrospection – Scott-Heron sounds at death’s door as he looks back on his life; not with regrets, but simple observations. From a certain standpoint, it would appear that the very forces Gil rallied so hard against became the ones that eventually claimed his life. But it was the struggle that gave ScottHeron’s work such authenticity. His inspiration came in his martyrdom; what could have been a reinvention (I’m New Here) was instead a goodbye. The mark Scott-Heron has left on music is indelible, and his presence will long transcend his worldly existence. Thank you and goodbye Gil. The temple of the Muses welcomes you with open arms.

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1248 S. Figueroa LA CA 90015 | 213.867.6000 | iconlaultralounge.com

Rize of the Pheonix Photography by Jeff Pearson

Styled By Vanessa Salazar Hair & Makeup by Romi Klinger Model:Simone Chatterton

B U N K E R H I L L | 0 7/ 2 0 1 1

Anilee Dominga dress Susana Monaco dress French Kande necklace Ring Stylistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Qupid Shoes

Susana Monaco dress French Kande necklaces HIJA Angel wings Immaculate Heart Cuffs MxMJ rosegold watch Report Signature pumps

Alice & Trixie Dress Report Signature nude leather thigh boots HIJA “rosary” bracelet French Kande bracelet Erin Wasson “low love” ring Stylist’s own rhinestone ring

Robert Rodriguez silk dress Hpye trench coat Robert Rodriguez necklace Redkiss booties 3 orYANY bags

Robert Rodriguez white gauze dress Robert Rodriguez powder silk dress HIJA sweater clip HIJA â&#x20AC;&#x153;rosaryâ&#x20AC;? slave bracelet Report Signature gray suede thigh boots

Downtown Art Walk Every second Thursday of the month. For Art Walk map and info please check bunkerhillmagazine.com

July 14 Art Walk Recommends you enjoy an evening at...

CafĂŠ Launching on Bastille Day July 14th with celebrity french chef Emmanuel Delcour and french inspired menu. 433 S. Spring St. DTLA