Music Monday
TomorrowWorld will not be returning in 2016. Former CL Staff Writer Max Blau detailed the epic mess of TomorrowWorld 2015 that has, in large part, led to this week’s disappointing news. With that being said, the promoters promise that “this is not farewell.” Atlanta-based rapper/ producer Slug Christ has been releasing tracks like mad. Hop on over to his Soundcloud. The Coathangers are streaming the title track from their upcoming LP Nosebleed Weekend (Apr. 15 via Suicide Squeeze). Their record release party is that very
New music from Slug Christ, TomorrowWorld won’t return to Georgia (for now), and more music news. By Ben Braunstein
Nap Eyes, who recently released Thought Rock Fish Scale via Paradise of Bachelors, just uploaded a live session for the track “Stargazer,” which was included on that record. (Full disclosure/shameless selfpromotion: I reviewed the album for the blog Treblezine.) Cool Hunting, who premiered the
Ben Braunstein/CreativeLoafing. Left: Def Jam/Collegrove . Chris Benyard/Layout. Spring 2016/dmpt2105.
“This Is NOT Fairwell”
night at the Star Bar, with Paint Fumes, Bad Spell, and Paralyzer. The Atlanta-based “darkwave duchess” ABRA, also on Awful Records, has just opened an online merch store. That white long sleeve is sick! The long-awaited debut from Chelsea Shag, Colours, comes out Apr. 29. She opens for Big Brutus (the solo project from Sean Bryant of Slang, whose album Bobby Moore reviewed), Mar. 5, at the 529. RSVP here. In the meantime, check out the video for her track, “Us Kids,” over at Immersive. In the meantime, OpenEars Music just premiered the track “Thoughts At SoBa.” There’s also a short Q&A with Sean. Spring March 2016
session, also had some nice words to say about the band. Remember, Nap Eyes perform at the Earl on Sun., Mar. 13, with Cian Nungent and Hellier Ulysses. Athens-based garage-punk group Meth Wax has just released a new track, “Gravity Bong.” Immersive already said it in their review, but just in case there’s a misunderstanding: this is not appropriate for bong hits. Get your friends and chug a 40 or some shit. Their next Atlanta performance will be at Krustfest II, set for Fri, Apr. 8, at WonderRoot. Sea Ghost and Flower, among many more, will also be there. (Note: It’s spelled “krust,” not “crust.” Don’t bring your dog.)
Emo boys Blurry (fka Boundaries) will release their debut EP, Note Worthy, on Mar. 25 via Megafuss. In the meantime, check out the video for “Fall/ R i se ” ov e r at
Immersive. Oh, they’ll be at Krustfest II, too. The sixth edition of Burn to Shine film series will finally premiere Sat., Apr. 9., at the EARL. For this edition, filmmakers Christoph Green and Brendan Canty (Fugazi) shot Atlanta bands such as Mastodon, Deerhunter, Black Lips, the Coathangers, personal favorites the Liverhearts, and more. After the premiere, Algiers and Moon Diagrams (Moses Archuleta of Deerhunter) will perform. Out now: The highly-anticipated collaboration between Lil’ Wayne and Atlanta-based 2Chainz, Collegrove. Those of y’all who have heard it, what do ya think?
Chris B e n ya r d is a 26 year old militray brat, “Free Will (his alias) is a s treet artist known for his limited color pallet. We sat down with Chris or Freewill so we could gain insite into the gray areas behind his street art.Why do you only use black in white your art?? To be honest I think I look at art from a different perspective than most people would, well not art but color. “Simply- I use those two colors cause the complimentary colors but they’re also each others inverts. If you want a more in depth I could go on?” Sure.“They represent everything in life, the light and the dark, the day and the night, the good and the evil, the beginning and the end. As each-other’s inverts either can be used to replace the other. I’d also like to add they I use grey more than black and white which is funny...” I never noticed that, why the gray? “Well, grays.. And because it represents everything inbetween the black and white, As a reminder that everything in life isn’t as black and white as some people make it out to be. Yes there’s a positive and negative but there’s also many aspects that factor into making choices and to each his own.” Your alias is Freewill where does that come from? “Well similar to the use of grays it comes from choice, different situations, some good and some bad led me to where I am now, it’s gray. While I’m not where I want to be in life, in art, I’m not where I Spring April 2016
was either. It’s not bad, it’s not great but it’s OK, mediocre even.” Mediocre, explain? “Ah, it’s hard to put it into words, I guess to stop myself from being complacent and humble I try to keep my self and ego out. Artist tend to do that when they base their craftsmanship off of people’s reactions instead of their intentions. I make art for people to interpret. I know their can be many interpretations of my pieces but I don’t think a lot of people look that deep into that, which is something I want to restore.” How do you plan on restoring it and what do you think is missing? “By keep doing what I’m doing, and I think the biggest thing is time and insight. People don’t spend much time on anything these day so how can they look into the meaning behind a piece? I think a lot of it also comes from the day in age we’re in, instant gratification is number one. Technology is the gray of now and then haha, there’s 50 shades of it.” Yeah it’s constantly changing. “Everything changes.” What do you mean by that? “Everything changes? Nothing stays the same forever, it can’t because it has to adapt. Listen to the song it explains it better than I could, it’s just something you’d have to look at with an open mind.” Where would you say you got your perspective? “Believe it or not I use to read a lot of books when I was younger and in school so I’d say that’s where my outlook comes from.” What’s your favorite book? “Another tough question. Haha, “The Once And Future King” or this book with a bunch of William Shakespeare pieces.. All the World’s a Stage” is eye opening.”
C hristopher B. Benyard
What do we really need in this life? I look at myself sometimes like it’s not right. People out there with no food at night and we say we care, but we don’t so we all lie. What if there’s more to this and one day? We become what we do not what we say. We end up in all the shit that they’re in and roles are reversed and it was different. And we were the ones with nothing to eat, we were the ones with blood in our streets, we were the ones with only our screams, and they were the ones just watching on TV. And we were the ones broke down and torn, with our life on our back and our wife in our arms. And they were the ones like damn that’s so sad, and we were the ones like... Nothing ever changes. It’s the only thing I know, that nothing ever changes. I’m looking down this road, and nothing ever changes. No, no nothing ever changes. Look at your dreams and your intention, selfish it is for you to mention. Turning your thousands into millions, marry a model and you have some children. Well they got their dreams too I imagine, like what if it won’t come back to kill them. Sleeping at night without a murder in some little town you never heard of. Now look at your nightmares and all of your worst fears, your car and your house and your girl and it stops there. All these things you can’t imagine losing, like oh no what if that happened to me? But what you got they’ll never have, to be like you ya, to have your chance, to be like you before they’re gone oh no oh. Nothing ever changes. At least that’s how we act, like nothing ever changes. Like god has got our backs. Like nothing ever changes. I’m looking down this road and I can see this pain is, it’s the only kind I know. Maybe we need more shoes on our feet, maybe we need more clothes and TV’s, maybe we need more cash and jewelry, or maybe we don’t know what we need. Maybe we need to want to fix it, maybe stop talking, maybe start listening. Maybe we need to look at this world, less like a square and more like a circle. Maybe, just maybe, God’s not unfair, maybe were all his kids and he’s up there. Maybe he loves us for all our races, maybe he hates us when were all so racist. Maybe he sees us when we don’t care and its heaven right here but its hell over there. And maybe the meek will inherit this earth because it was written before so… Everything changes and nothing stays the same. No, everything changes, and if you feel ashamed, maybe you should change this. Before it gets too late, maybe you should change this. My brother, we’re standing at the gate. Oh everything changes, changes, changes. Maybe you should change it, change it, change it. Everything changes, changes, changes. Everything changes.
W
by
“As You Like It” William Shakesprear
And all the men They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.
A
ll the world’s a stage,
and women merely players;
Jane Donaldson/”The Gray”. Chris Benyard/Layout. Spring 2016/dmpt2105.
“Everything Changes” - by SOJA
Spring March 2016
Throwback Thursday
A Tribe Called Quest’s: Phife Dawg, Passes away at 45 Malik Taylor’s distinct voice and nimble flow helped anchor landmark hip-hop albums BY JASON NEWMAN
Phife Dawgg (1950-2016)
Jason Newman/NewYorkNews. Chris Benyard/Layout. Spring 2016/dmpt2105.
M
alik Taylor, the rapper known as Phife Dawg whose nimble, clever rhymes helped launch A Tribe Called Quest to both commercial and critical success, died Tuesday at the age of 45 from complications resulting from diabetes. Rolling Stone has confirmed the rapper’s death.aylor had had health issues for years, undergoing a kidney transplant in 2008 to deal with a longtime battle with diabetes. “It’s really a sickness,” Taylor said in Beats, Rhymes & Life, Michael Rapaport’s candid 2011 documentary on the group. “Like straight-up drugs. I’m just addicted to sugar.” “Malik was our loving husband, father, brother and friend,” his family said in a statement. “We love him dearly. How he impacted all our lives will never be forgotten. His love for music and sports was only surpassed by his love of God and family.” “Family, my heart is shattered at the loss of my beautiful son,” Taylor’s mom Cheryl Boyce-Taylor wrote on Facebook. “Thank you for your love and good wishes. Malik made me so proud, and he was a good and humble son. What holds me is that he brought joy through his music and sports, and that he lived a magical life. He is with his beloved grandmother and his twin brother Mikal today. God bless you Malik Boyce Taylor. Please send prayers to my daughter-in-law Deisha.” Taylor appeared on all five of the group’s studio albums, most notably 1991’s The Low End Theory and 1993’s Midnight Marauders, acting as the highpitched, gruff vocal counterpoint to Q-Tip’s smooth, mellow flow. The group broke up and reunited multiple times since the release of their last album, 1998’s the Love Movement. As documented in Beats, Rhymes & Life, the group would sporadically reunite for live shows, but stopped short at recording new material. Health problems deterred Taylor from recording much solo material, though the rapper released his only solo album Ventilation: Da LP in 2000. Speaking to Rolling Stone last November, Taylor was tentatively optimistic about both his health and future recording plans. “I am in a good spot, but I have my good days and I have my bad days,” he said at the time. “But I’m more or less in a good spot, so I can’t really complain.” In the same interview, Taylor revealed plans to release the J Dilla-produced “Nutshell,” the first single off a planned EP titled Give Thanks. The rapper released a video preview of the song, though a full version has yet to be released. Prior to his death, Taylor had also been at work on Muttymorphosis, his new LP that would have functioned as “basically my life story” that he hoped to have released later this year.
Louisa Staples IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOT OVERDO IT
L
ouisa Staples, 16, from Battersea, is one of nine still competing for the trophy, making her the first Briton to reach the semis since 1983. Founded in 1983 by the American violinist Yehudi Menuhin, widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century, the competition has since become a showcase for some of the world’s brightest violin protégés. The competition has returned to London this year for the first time since 2004, in order to celebrate the centenary of Menuhin’s birth. The winner of this year’s competition stands to win £10,000, and will receive a yearlong loan of a golden period Stradivarius violin rumored to be worth more than £5 million. The only other Briton to reach the finals was Tasmin Little, a semi-finalist in 1983, who has since gone on to be awarded an OBE for her award-winning career as one of the nation’s most successful classical violinists. Since then American, Russian and Chinese students have dominated the competition, but now Louisa has been given the opportunity to win the coveted prize in her first international event. Speaking before the semi-final, which takes place at the Duke’s Hall at the Royal Academy of Music this Wednesday, Louisa said she was feeling “excited, nervous - and a tad apprehensive”. “I’m very excited, it’s my first competition, so I’m thrilled to be through to the semi-finals,” she said. “But it’s very stiff competition, so I’ve been trying to stay calm and just focus on practicing ahead of the event.” Brought up in a family of string musicians, Louisa attended Broomwood Hall School, Balham, before entering the Menuhin School in Surrey, aged eight. With her eyes set firmly on becoming a professional violinist, Louisa spends up to six hours a day practicing, although she pointed out that she does take the “occasional” day off. “My parents have been incredibly supportive, and have really helped me to pursue my ambitions,” she added. “Getting this far in the competition is far further than I ever expected, but I’m making sure I don’t get too stressed. It’s important not to overdo it.” If she makes it through to the final, Louisa will join three other competitors at the Royal Festival Hall on Saturday April 16, where their performances will be live streamed to audiences across the world. The final will begin at 7.30pm and will include performances from the Royal Academy Symphony Orchestra.
Spring April 2016
Louisa Staples, 16, from Battersea is one of nine still competing for the trophy.
Chris Benyard/Layout. Spring 2016/dmpt2105.
An English schoolgirl has reached the semifinals of the world renowned Menuhin Competition for young violinists, making her the first Briton reach to progress the penultimate stage in 33 years.