Apr 23, 2011 Issue

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Apr 23, 2011

PLUG’D IN The Hard-Rock'n Bi-Weekly Magazine Providing your needed fix!

Inside This Issue Impact: Alexis Brown of Straight Line Stitch On Tour: Johnny Plague of Winds Of Plague This Is: Elizabeth Schroeder of Sex, Ect. Dear Dead Abby J..X.M.X. updated info Think About It: Insights inspired by Jack Handey

Amazing vocalist Alexis Brown sits down with Nicole Marie and talks about the “Fight Of Her Life”

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Impact: Alexis Brown of Straight Line Stitch Interview by Nicole Marie Being with Plug‟d In Magazine for exactly one year now I have been able to meet many amazing bands and interview a lot of incredible people. But one thing I have never done is be able to interview another female.

Fortunately, this past week I was given the honor to talk one on one, with Straight Line Stitch‟s female lead vocalist, Alexis Brown.

Not only is this girl drop dead gorgeous (being Revolver Magazine‟s latest “Hottest Chick in Hard Rock), but she is also an absolute sweetheart and amazing to talk to.

I hope you can enjoy reading this interview as much as I did attaining it…N.B. PI: Alexis, if you can trade places with any other female vocalist for one show, who would it be?

AB: It would be Stevie Nicks, haha because I love Stevie Nicks, she‟s my absolute favorite!

PI: What is some advice you would give to younger girls who look up to you as an influential female role model?

AB: I would give them the advice to say follow their dreams, follow your heart and never let anyone get in your way, especially yourself.

Definitely always follow your heart.

PI: If you could go back in time and talk to yourself as a young girl, what advice would you give yourself?

AB: Have more confidence! Haha, that‟s exactly what I would say. (PI) Why? Did you have trouble with that growing up? (AB) Oh gosh, I was, I mean I don‟t even know how I‟m doing this today. I am the shyest person on the planet, but I‟m actually really privy to people, and I‟ve always loved to sing. So I really had to get out of my comfort zone to do it. So if I could talk to myself as a little girl I would tell myself, buck up! Haha.

Wayne Lozinak

PI: Do you think you face different hardships being the only female member in the band? How do you deal with them?

AB: Umm I don‟t feel that I face any other different challenges than anybody else does on a normal day to day basis whether if male of female. We all have different traits and stuff like that. I don‟t think anything is harder, I mean, besides being a woman and what we have to go through. Like um, the menstrual cycle! Haha. That sucks! That really sucks. So I would say that‟s one of the few hardships of being a woman and surrounded by men, just being on my period, haha, it‟s horrible.

PI: You were the latest Revolver‟s “The Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock” how did you feel when you were first approached with this offer?

AB: In one word, I felt humbled. I was flattered. I really don't look at myself and think “oh I'm so sexy” or anything like that. So it was really nice when they asked me to do it. I felt really humbled by it. (PI) Were you surprised by the offer? (AB) Well I actually really wanted to be in it anyway. I've always wanted to do it. So when they asked me I was like yeah!! But yes, I was definitely surprised, I really was.

PI: You're pictures on the Revolver website and in the magazine are absolutely amazing, are you happy with the way they turned out?

AB: Aww thank you! I'm VERY happy with the way they turned out. I was actually shocked by it; I didn't think I could look ever that good, haha. But yeah, I was very happy with the pictures.

PI: Being an ideal girl to many guys, what qualities do you look for in a man?

AB: I definitely look for, let me see,.. man, that‟s a tough question haha. I definitely look for strength, gotta have a sense of humor, I guess I look for a bunch of different qualities. It wouldn't hurt if they were nice looking too, haha. But I look for somebody who is kind and who has a kind heart and is compassionate, loving, passionate, ok... I'm giving you like a singles add here haha. I just look for a strong man, you know, that is going to care for me and who wants the same things as I do.

PI: So I have to ask, is there anybody in the music world, or maybe in movies that you would like to take you out on a date?

AB: Haha, my gosh! Wow, let me see, that's a good question but... I can't say. I don't know if they're married or seeing or dating someone, so I don't want to be disrespectful. So no one I could think of off the top of my head.

(PI) Haha, ok, I got ya.

PI: People have told me that after a break up or a hard time in their life they listen to your music and lyrics and it really helps them out, how do you feel about that?

AB: The best word is to say I feel honored. I write my music, you know, everything that I write, I lived it. I think that‟s its cool that my music is universal to the fact that other people can actually take something that I personally lived through and say “ hey I‟ve been there, or I‟m dealing with this right now" or this helped me out, so in one word, awesome, its really awesome.

PI: That really is awesome, and I was just going to ask, are you writing your songs to empathize with others feelings, or are you writing from your own personal experiences?

AB: Yes, I definitely write from my own personal experiences, like I said, I live my lyrics, like I mean I'm not really, really good, as you can tell, at talking, so writing is definitely a form of self expression, and it really works for me.

(She's very good at talking, obviously.)

PI: I've read a depiction of your singing/ screaming vocals as being very Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde like; do you feel this is an accurate description? How would you describe your singing style?

AB: Umm, well, I guess you can describe it like that. I really never thought about it I guess.

PI: Your new video for “Conversion” is a little vague in meaning. Can you explain the concept?

AB: The concept is all our director. But if your talking about the song, it‟s basically, we wrote it about being in this industry and stuff like that. How certain situations can change a person. How they can change me. I really felt like I was being changed, I felt like I was being pushed to do something that I didn't want to do, and I felt like I was changing and not in a good way. And I had to regain control, because I'm about shedding my skins and I'm about keeping control of me. This is how it is and this is how it‟s going to be and if you don't like it you can hit the road. That‟s exactly how it is.

PI: You're latest albums title is “The Fight of our Lives”. Can you explain what that means?

AB: Yes definitely! The title is definitely a statement. We wrote it and decided on the title “The Fight of Our Lives” because it‟s hard, it really is hard, not only in music, but in anything, it‟s hard to follow your dreams of all the good things in life and you really have to fight for them. So we decided that we were going to name this album “The Fight of Our Lives” to let people know that, hey we know it‟s going to be a fight and we know that people are going to hate us and not like us and we also know that there are people that probably will like us. But, whatever may come and whatever may be, we're ready for the fight, we're in it for the long haul, we're not going anywhere, this is the fight of our lives. That‟s basically, in a nutshell, what the albums about.

PI: I know the band already had its name when you joined. Do you like the name? Would you change if it you could?

AB: No, I love our name. It means absolutely nothing, haha, but it has a ring to it. It‟s rad. It just has a certain ring to it, Straight Line Stitch, I like it, and I wouldn't change it.

PI: You and the band will soon be a part of Revolver Magazine‟s Hottest Chicks in Hard Rock “Hell Hath No Fury” tour along with System Divide, and Sister Sin. I know its going to be sponsored by Keep a Breast Foundation. What are your thoughts on this short tour?

AB: I'm actually looking forward to it. In This Moment has been doing their thing for a while now, they are a great band and are great people. And I'm just looking forward to sharing the stage with them as well as with Sister Sin and System Divide who are the other bands on the tour. Other than with Kittie, this will be our second time going out with a bunch of girls, and I'm thinking out of anything it‟s going to be fun, a real lot of fun.

PI: What do you think about the cause of the tour?

AB: Oh I think it‟s great! The tour is sponsored by the Keep a Breast Foundation and it‟s a good cause. And as a matter of fact I had a personal issue with that not too long ago. I had a tumor in my left breast, but thankfully it was benign. But it was scary. So I think it‟s a great cause, I really do.

PI: Can you tell your fans what to expect from you and the band on Mayhem Fest?

AB: They can definitely expect that we're going to give them a show! We're going to try our damndest to give them what they pay for. We're going to give them our blood sweat and tears because that‟s what they deserve, no less. And we just want to be able to hang out and have a good time. We really want our fans to have a good time and we definitely want them to come and find us and hang out with us or just say Hi, because that‟s what we're about. We don't wanna be one of those bands that, you know, you can see them but not touch them, or you can't reach them. We want to be accessible, so they can always come and hang out with us. We just want them to have a great time!

PI: How do you prepare for a long tour like Mayhem?

AB: I pray a lot. I pray a real lot. I ask God for strength and then I can go out and do my thing. (PI) So, would you consider yourself a very spiritual or religious person? (AB) Well I don't speak for the band, because we all have different beliefs, but I myself really do believe in God and I am very spiritual in that fact.

PI: So, what does Alexis‟s downtime look like?

AB: It looks like me being in my room, reading a bunch of harlequin romance books, watching scary movies. Or just going to see my family, they live 4 hours away so actually I'll go see them and hang out with them for a while. My down time is pretty much like, I like to hang out by myself, but I also like going out for sushi or beers with some of my friends. That‟s pretty much my down time, I also really like going on the computer and talking to our fans.

PI: What else, if anything, do you want your fans to know about Alexis Brown? How do you want them to identify with you?

AB: I want them to know that I'm really just, real. I can be myself and talk to you like a real person. There‟s not really much to me. I mean, I'm just like anybody else. If you treat me with respect then I will treat you with respect. I try to be as open as possible; anyone can reach me if they want to. That‟s really about it.

PI: Finally, what‟s next for Alexis?

AB: Well for the band, we're definitely going to keep touring, we have the those two tours that we spoke about, Mayhem and the In This Moment tour coming up and we have some stuff going down in the UK. And as for myself, I'm still trying to model, I've always wanted to model, so I'm trying to find an agent and do that in my free time. But other than that.. just touring, touring, touring! Haha.

PI: Well thank you so much for talking with me and Plug‟d In, Alexis!

AB: Oh no, thank you Nicole! This was awesome. I really appreciate you and the magazine wanting to talk to me.

Thanks again and have a great day!

www.myspace.com/straightlinestitch

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On Tour: Johnny Plague of Winds of Plague Interview & Photos by Liana Marie Before the show I met up with Jon Cooke of Winds of Plague and followed him back to their badass UHaul where I was later introduced to Nick P. +others. The guys were great; a lot of fun. I made plans for this show, never having heard the band‟s music before. From this show on, I‟ve become rather fond if it and find myself listening to it quite often, actually. If you haven‟t already I would definitely check it out and give them a listen.

You won‟t be disappointed. Oh, and I‟m going to be honest…I don‟t know how Alaina makes it around all those dudes 24/7.

Props, girl. Here‟s what Jon had to share with us...L.M. PI: This is Liana Marie of Central Pa Plug‟d In magazine here with...

NP: Uhhh...Hector from Bensonhurst, New York (JC) I‟m Jon from California.

PI: What instrument are each of you responsible for?

NP: Yo! We got Jonny Cooke over here on vocals. I play guitar!

[Merch. Guy walks in] NP: ...This is Shawn! And he plays merch. (JC) He‟s the babyfaced merch guy.

PI: What genre of music do you consider Winds Of Plague?

JC: Uhhh...Heavy-metal. ...Right, Shawn?! (S) Yeah. (JC) Shawn agrees.

PI: What sets Winds Of Plague apart from any other band in this genre?

JC: We don‟t really have boundaries on our music. We just do whatever we want. We might have a hardcore part, a metal part, followed by a classical part leading into something epic...and we don‟t really care. It confuses people. But really.. real heavy metal heads and real heavy hardcore kids don‟t like us...but they can “S” my “D”. ... Right, Shawn?

(S) Right. (JC) Shawn agrees.

PI: Tell us a little about the band‟s background. Where is Winds Of Plague from and how did it get started?

JC: We‟re all from scattered areas around the greater Los Angeles area. Nick, who you just met, the other Nick and Andrew and I all went to an all-boys catholic high school together, which is how we met. We didn‟t really like school, so we decided to play metal. Through the years we‟ve had member changes...we picked up Art and Alaina and here we are!

PI: I understand that you guys actually changed your band‟s name from “Bleak December” to Winds Of Plague, when did this change occur?

JC: It was around ‟03. It was a long time ago.

PI: What brought about these changes? Where is “Winds Of Plague” derived from?

JC: It was whenever the Unearth “Endless” EP came out. That‟s where we got the name from. We actually got it from that EP. (PI) Does it have anything to do with specific lyrics? (JC) Yeah, it‟s a lyric from the song “Endless.” We were signing to a small record label called “Life Sentence Records” and there was another band called “Bleak December” that legally claimed the name so we had to change it. It was for the better, thank God. PI: Describe your band in terms of personality. Outside of the music.

JC: We‟re not very cool people. (Chuckles) None of us really drink or party and people, specifically metal heads are like “Oh, let me buy you a beer” and I‟m like “Hey man, I don‟t drink.” “What? ...pussy.” (PI) So, are all of you guy‟s straight-edge? (JC) 2 of us are straight-edge. Everyone else kind of does their own thing, but low-key. I don‟t know, we‟re just dudes. .... & Alaina is a girl. (Laughter) (PI) Is it sometimes difficult having a female in the band? (JC) No, man. She‟s the best! Alaina‟s so fun. (PI) What about when it comes time to get ready? (JC) She like hogs the bathroom a lot, but that‟s about it. Everybody still runs around naked.

PI: If you could describe your band as a sit-com or television show...What would it be and why?

JC: JERSEY SHORE. (PI) Oh yeah? How‟s Snooki?

(JC) ..ART! No, no. Actually..Snooki‟s cool. So, that‟d have to be Alaina. (JC) Who do you think the biggest bitch on Jersey Shore is? (PI) Are you interviewing me or am I interviewing you?! (Laughter) I don‟t know, I don‟t watch it. (JC) Well, whoever the biggest bitch is...that‟s who Art would be. (JC) Nick would be “The Situation.”

Yeah, he has really nice abs. No, I‟m just kidding...he really doesn‟t. He‟s a little chubby but it‟s okay.

PI: So when first getting started, have you ever imagined you‟d be where you are today?

(JC) No! (Laughter) Fuck, no. It‟s crazy thinking back because we were just dudes playing shitty music in a garage...

You know? And now we‟re just dudes playing shitty music on a stage. It‟s crazy to see how far everything‟s come.

It‟s absolutely insane.

PI: Before becoming a part of the music world, did you have any other aspirations?

JC: I played hockey a lot. That was something I always wanted to do. (PI) Who‟s your team? (JC) I like Pittsburgh a lot. I‟m not even saying that because I‟m in Pennsylvania! I actually completely forgot I was in Pennsylvania. I was born in Keyesport, Pittsburgh. That place is a shit hole.

PI: How‟s tour going so far?

JC: It‟s awesome. We‟re almost half way, it‟s been a good time. (PI) Did anything significant or exciting happen?

(JC) We were in New York for the past 3 days…that was pretty wild! You wouldn‟t see anyone all day, then it would come time to play and everybody would show up then disperse, again. I don‟t drink or anything, but Shawn does, so I went to meet up with them at the bar because they‟re my friends and Shawn was really drunk. He got a free bag because he was telling everyone it was his birthday even though it wasn‟t. There was people having sex in the bathrooms, but nothing too crazy, I guess.

PI: Have you guys toured with After The Burial or As I Lay Dying before?

JC: It seems like we toured with After The Burial like 40 times. Our last tour was with them, we ran into them in Europe, and we toured with them before that. So, we‟re really good friends with them. We never toured with As I Lay Dying. We‟ve always wanted to tour with them.

They‟re from Southern California, we know them from being in that area together. We actually recorded our last 2 CDs at Tim‟s house. It was awesome. Tim single-handedly got us on this tour so we‟re really grateful for that.

PI: Out of all the places that you‟ve toured or played shows... If you could pick one of those places to live where would it be and why?

JC: I really like Australia because it‟s just like California. I really like Japan because everyone‟s nice. (PI) Did you pet a Kangaroo while over in Australia? (JC) No, because they will literally rip your face off. (PI) But they look so cute and cuddly. (JC) They do. We got close, but those things are TERRIFYING. They‟re huge. They were bigger than me. It‟s a big animal; not little like everyone thinks. I also like Florida and Texas a lot. (PI) Any specific reasons? (JC) Hot Girls. Just kidding. (PI) You‟re not kidding. I like the South, its fun! And yeah, well, it doesn‟t hurt!

PI: “The Great Stone War” released in August of 2009 is your latest released album, correct? (JC) Yes. (PI) How do you feel about the final product of this album?

JC: It was cool. It was what we set out to do. We wanted to make an epic metal record. The only down side is that the songs weren‟t that fun to play live. So we, as a band, had to take a few steps back and re-evaluate what we wanted to do.

PI: Speaking of live performance, what would you say is one of your favorite songs to perform live?

JC: “Decimate The Weak” and “Reloaded” are both really fun. A couple new songs we‟ve been playing off of the upcoming record are really fun to play. Whatever gets kids moving.

PI: That was actually my next question. Are you guys working on anything currently?

JC: Yeah, it‟s called “Against The World”. It‟s finished and it comes out April 19th. We wrote the songs specifically so we could go out on tour and have a good time while kids are singing along, jumping on & off stage, etc.

PI: Are you going in any specific directions with the album?

JC: It‟s a little more towards “Decimate The Weak”, our first album. We kind of just tore down all our walls and went for it in hopes to create a fun record.

PI: Do you have any long or short term goals for Winds Of Plague or the music in general?

JC: No, not really. I‟m just kind of taking it day by day, it‟s all you really can do. The world of music is constantly up and down. With the internet especially, it‟s crazy how bands go up and down. We‟re just trying to keep our heads above water.

PI: Why do you do what you do?

JC. I love it. I like playing shows and seeing other people being stoked on what we‟re doing and having a good time.

I love seeing people out there who are feeling good and are able to just kind of “let go” of all their fucking problems that they have in the world.

PI: What‟s in the future of Winds Of Plague?

JC: Maybe some music videos with really poor acting in them. And of course more touring; same old shit. We‟re going to be doing Warped Tour over the summer, which is going to be really fun. We‟re just going to keep on truckin‟.

PI: Thanks so much for sharing with us and giving us a chance to get “Plug‟d In!” JC: Yeahaaa!

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Dear Dead Abby Brought to you by It’s All The Hair Rage Designs

From The Grave Abby was born and raised in the coal regions of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The oldest of eight, she constantly had her younger brothers and sisters asking her questions about everything from how things work to why that boy threw dirt on her. She’d try to steer them straight with her advice, though sometimes she could be a bit sarcastic.

Abby also had an uncanny ability to see the truth in people, despite what they tried to portray with their lies. Unfortunately, this led the locals to believe that she was with surrounded with dark forces. The summer before her final year of school, Abby was sentenced to death by hanging, without a proper trial, simply stating that she was a witch. Abby can’t recognize the faces of her family through death, but she answers questions, thinking it might be one of her siblings needing her guidance.

Q. My boyfriend doesn‟t really spend time with my son (from a previous relationship) although we live together. We've been together 4 years and my son is now 7. I've tried everything I can to get them to bond and spend time together, but nothing works. I‟m really thinking of leaving him. What should I do? M.H. A. Your boyfriend is constantly reminded by your son that you've had another dick in you. Yeah, it's common knowledge that no one's been with only one person, but seeing him every day is very hard for some guys. It's basically a giant case of penis envy, and if your son has anything to do with his bio dad, it'll just keep bringing up the mental image of that guy having his dick in you. Leave him if you want, but if you want to avoid this problem in the future, turn lesbian.

Q. I play the lottery every week, but never win. What can I do to increase my odds of getting that big payoff? D.A. A. Drive down to where you play the lottery, smash your vehicle through the window, and load up all the lottery machines into the vehicle.

Q. If you are really dead, how can you talk to us and help us with our problems? R.R. A. You're a moron.

Q. I cheated on my girlfriend with one of her friends. The problem is I really like her friend now. What should I do?

C.H. A. Does the friend feel the same about you? Look at it this way, when you cheated, why did you cheat? Was it a spur of the moment? Were you angry with your girlfriend? I think cheaters are lowlifes to begin with, regardless of the reason, but this other girl will see that you cheated on your current girlfriend with her, what's to stop you from doing it to her? In my opinion, this other girl should come clean to your girlfriend, and they should both head for the hills and get away from you.

Submit your questions to: deardeadabby@centralpapluggedin.com

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This Is: Sex, Ect’s Elizabeth Schroeder Interview by Liana Marie Elizabeth Schroeder was a pleasure speaking to. This is a remarkable woman who has dedicated her life and her career to saving teenagers from making life changing mistakes and to prepare them for each decision they are to make and the pros and cons resulting from those decisions in regards to sexual activity. Once the interview started I found myself going above and beyond what I prepared, little did I know Elizabeth would answer about half of my questions without having asked them. Schroeder is absolutely on point with her studies, to say the least. If you are one of the teenagers, that may be struggling with various situations and decisions related to sexual activity or education I highly recommend getting in touch with Elizabeth. Yes, some of us have parents to drill what they believe is best through our heads, but sometimes that simply isn't enough. It's nice to actually speak to those who know the specific facts and statistics to back these theories up. Through, Elizabeth and the rest of the members, including the teens who share from their own experience of Sex etc., you are able to find and pursue that support.

Reading this interview you will find and be made aware of the many different resources this organization has made available to you. Don't let this opportunity pass you by; it may save your life!

Also, be sure to catch Bayside, Silverstein, and many other great bands that are supporting this cause on The Take Action Tour 2011!

Here's what Elizabeth has to share with us...L.M. PI: Could you tell us a little bit about yourself, your background and where you‟re from?

ES: I‟m originally from New York state, right outside of New York City and now I live in New Jersey. My organization is based in Rutgers University, also in New Jersey.

PI: You‟re the executive director of Answer. How did you get involved with that?

ES: Well actually, I‟ve been in the sexuality education field for almost 20 years. I used to work at Planned Parenthood, as an educator both at the national the local level in New York City and then went to graduate school and got a doctorate in human sexuality education and worked for myself as a consultant for about 10 years doing direct programs with teens and adolescents and parents and teachers, that kind of stuff. It‟s been a passion of mine and a love of mine for a real long time.

PI: Could you tell us a bit about what the program Answer is about and what you hope that this program could do for society?

ES: Absolutely. Answer is a national sexuality education organization based in Rutgers University and our mission is to provide and promote comprehensive sexuality education to young people and the adults who serve them, and who teach them I should say, but who serve them in one way or another. We have two arms in our organization. One is our national training institute, where we really reach teachers and community based educators and parents and other adults who really care about teens, and teach them how to teach about sexuality comfortably and accurately and effectively.

Then our second arm is our teen to teen sexuality education initiative and that‟s Sex, Etc. there‟s actually a lot of research out there showing that peer education is actually a really effective way of teaching people, so we created Sex Etc., first as a newsletter that became the magazine that it is today, and it‟s completely written by teens for teens. We have a teen editorial staff located in the New York/New Jersey area where our office is, and we have national contributors so teens from around the United States can contribute to the magazine and to our website which is sexetc.org.

So, again the website is by teens for teens as well. The magazine, we have 3 issues that come out each year. The teens decide the theme of each issue and they decide on the articles they‟re going to write about. The website, we reach somewhere about 15,000-18,000 visitors every single day, so we‟re definitely reaching teens and teens are definitely telling us that they need this information.

PI: So the upcoming “The Take Action Tour 2011‟, featuring bands such as Bayside, Silverstein, Polar Bear Club, The Swellers, and Texas In July, that‟s actually based around these organizations, correct?

ES: Yes. PI: Do you know anything about how they chose the particular bands they did for this tour?

ES: I don‟t know how they chose the bands, but it sounds like, from what I‟ve heard from the bands and how they‟re blogging and talking about the tour, that they‟re really excited to be a part of a tour that actually has a take action component to it; a tour that really recognizes that we all have a responsibility to this world to find causes that we believe in then do something for those causes. So I give the record company, Hopeless Records and the artists a ton of credit for wanting to be a part of a tour like this.

PI: It‟s really great what you guys are doing. Have you heard any of these bands before? Do you have any personal favorites?

ES: I hadn‟t heard any of them before the tour and really Hopeless Records found Sex Etc. and said that this is the cause for this year. Every time they do the Take Action tour there‟s a different non-profit and a different cause that they support, so we were just really lucky that they chose us. As soon as I heard who the headliners were and the other featured bands, of course I had to start listening to them and I think they‟re fantastic. I think their music is great and I think it‟s great that they‟re being role models, generally telling younger people, that they have a voice and their voice should be heard and they should speak out about topics that are really important to them. I think that I can‟t imagine one teenager on the planet that doesn‟t think that some aspect of sexuality or sexual health isn‟t important to them. It‟s just a great connection between us and the record company and the bands to really pull this off.

PI: It‟s great to have somebody out there, other than your parents who can‟t always explain everything in complete details or scientific facts that can keep you updated and let you know what you‟re getting yourself into and what you can do to prevent lifelong consequences. So, could you tell us a little more about what we can find in these magazines; its content?

ES: Absolutely. Well, we have a featured article every magazine issue; sometimes you‟ll see this in your more commercial magazines as well. So there‟s a featured article handwritten by one of our teen editorial staff. We also have sort of smaller snippets that we call “In the News”, so when there‟s something going on that‟s related to sexuality, sexual health, sexual education in the news, either in the U.S. or overseas, then what we‟ll do is the teens will write about it. Just recently there was a piece that a teen wrote about a sexuality education teacher overseas who was doing particular work in that area. That was really exciting to hear that in Pakistan they were doing this kind of sexuality

education, which is not always easy to do in Pakistan or any other countries, so that was very exciting to read about. We also have a feature that‟s called „Red Light, Green Light” and what they do is they take a topic related to sexuality or sexual health or sexuality education, where somebody could take an agree side and someone could take a disagree side. For example, in our latest magazine issue, the question was “Should people choose to wait to have sex until they‟re married?” well, in a committed relationship or married, and so one of the teens wrote “Yes, they should” and one of the teens wrote “No, it doesn‟t matter. You should do it when you‟re ready” side. We do that in an effort to really help teens understand that whatever you sort of think about for yourself, first of all you have to think about it, you have to have your own opinions, and second, whatever decision you do make you have to have some back up to really speak to that decision, and it‟s important to listen to other people‟s opinions as well. I don‟t know if you have the chance to go on sexetc.org, but we have a ton of stuff on the website. There are articles, and some of the stuff from the magazine is also on the website. We have FAQ‟s, a discussion forum, so it‟s really interactive where teens can discuss topics with each other. There‟s also a sexuality education expert that checks everything for medical accuracy and to make sure it‟s a safe space and there‟s no indecent language or anything or adults or anything. There are quizzes and games and polls and all that kind of stuff so it‟s really a great place. It‟s not just a passive “Oh, I can look up this question.” you can really interact and have a sense of community around sexuality education there.

PI: What website did you say we can see this at?

ES: Sexetc.org (PI) Is this a branch off of Answer or is it two different organizations that work together? (ES) It‟s a part of Answer, Sex Etc. is kind of the teen sexuality component that‟s why we‟re focusing on that aspect for the tour.

So, you‟re going to see in press releases and everything that the tour‟s benefitting Sex Etc. PI: How will the tour be benefitting these organizations and what are you hoping to do with being a part of this tour?

ES: Well, right now if you count in the website and the magazine, we probably reach in a year, maybe 4-5 million teenagers around the U.S., and there are more than 17 million teens in the U.S. so the first and most important thing we‟re hoping for the tour is for more teens to know about us and tell their friends about our site and our magazine so that they can get answers to their questions about sexuality. So number one is we just want to get the word out as much as possible. The second thing, and we‟re delighted, is that part of the Take Action Tour proceeds will go to the non-profit being sponsored. So in addition to supporting us by getting the word out for us, we‟ll also end up with a financial contribution at the end that can only help strengthen the programs that we do.

PI: That‟s really great and I‟m sure that people are happy that they can help out with it. So what can we expect from these organizations and programs in the future? Anything exciting upcoming, other than the tour?

ES: We just want to keep getting bigger, doing more. Our website, we‟re working to making as much of it as mobile as possible as quickly as we can, and that‟s what we‟re hoping to do!

PI: Thanks so much for chatting with us and giving us a chance to get Plug‟d In! ES: Thank you! You bet. Thanks for your time.

www.sexect.org www.answer.rutgers.edu

Think About It: Insights inspired by Jack Handey *"Whenever I see an old lady slip and fall on a wet sidewalk, my first instinct is to laugh. But then I think what if I was an ant, and she fell on me. Then it wouldn't seem quite so funny." *"To me, clowns aren't funny. In fact, they're kinda scary. I've wondered where this started, and I think it goes back to the time I went to the circus and a clown killed my dad." *"Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes." *"A funny thing is if you're out hiking and your friend gets bit by a poisonous snake, tell him you're going for help, then go about ten feet and pretend YOU got bit by a snake. Then start an argument about who's going to get help. A lot of guys will start crying. That's why it makes you feel good when you tell them it was just a joke." *"I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes." *"When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car." *"If a kid asks where rain comes from, I think a cute thing to tell him is „God is crying‟. And if he asks why God is crying, another cute thing to tell him is „Probably because of something you did‟." *"I can picture in my mind a world without war, a world without hate. And I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it." *"If you're in a war, instead of throwing a hand grenade at the enemy, throw one of those small pumpkins. Maybe it'll make everyone think how stupid war is...and while they are thinking, you can throw a real grenade at them." *"If you ever catch on fire, try to avoid seeing yourself in the mirror, because I bet that's what really throws you into a panic."

Friday, June 24th Single Day Pass: $30 Leftover Crack, Toxic Holocaust, Murphy's Law, Mucky Pup, The Spudmonsters, Ensign, Common Enemy, Vision. CDC, American Werewolves, Animal Haus, Last Call Brawl, Combat Crisis, Stoked On Being Pumped, Get Railed, Repressed Saturday, June 25th Single Day Pass: $40 Blood For Blood, Hazen Street, Wisdom In Chains, Skarhead, Death Threat, Shattered Realm, Sworn Enemy, No Redeeming Social Value, Ashers, Colin Of Arabia, Steel Nation, Lionheart, Bulldog Courage, Line Of Scrimmage, Hate Your Guts, Fist Fight

June 24, 25, 26 Reverb 1402 N. 9th St Reading, Pa. 19604

Sunday, June 26th Single Day Pass: $40 Shelter, Trial, 108, Freya, Shutdown, XLooking ForwardX, Foose, Such Gold, The Last Stand, Incendiary, FocusedxMinds, Concrete Reality, Unlearn

www.stereokiller.com/eastcoasttsunami

Through Their Eyes: Exceptional Photography by The Plugâ€&#x;d In Photographers

Photo by Nicole Stella

Photo by Liana Marie

Photo by Liana Marie

www.mayhemfest.com

@ Reverb

www.reverbconcerts.com

Award-winning work in a clean environment

Central Pa Plug’d In Magazine In association with Driving Metal Entertainment present

June 11, 2011 The Silo Reading, Pa

J.X.M.X. June’mongous Xtreme Music Xtravaganza

And Motorcycle Show

Bands appearing: Throdl, Dreamland Park, No Remorse For The Fallen, Garmonia, Save The Zombies, The Curse Of Sorrow, Amora, Between The Lions, 20Til8, and many more!

Special public appearance by Roadrunner Records Chief of Publicity Amy Sciarretto Live Black Op’s Tournament, giveaways, Chinese raffle, 50/50 Raffle, Food, Vendors, and much, much more!

Benefits:

More Info Coming Soon!

www.centralpapluggedin.com

From The Throne of The Rock God Rants, Raves, Reviews, and News for the Minions I don‟t want to come across as wishy washy, but I can be. I have a billion decisions to make, and some are easy, some aren‟t. One really tough decision I had to make was cancelling the motorcycle show. I talked a little bit last week about what happened and why I did what I did. I got a lot of feedback about it (all negative) and Mark Kohl even threatened to kick my ass (good luck with that tough guy lol). Anyways I‟d like to give you a little bit of news about the motorcycle show…Its back on!

It wasn‟t sitting well with me because this a charity event. I‟m not going to let anyone or anything stop me from accomplishing something I believe in.

The Children‟s Home of Reading is such a great organization and I‟ll be damned if I won‟t do all I can for them. So the show must go on!

It‟s a hell of a lot of work, I‟ll admit that. We can make it work though and we are! It‟s going to be one hell of a kick ass show! Make sure you stay tune to our website daily because we have so many announcements coming up! Our flyer will be released next Friday, Tickets the following Friday, and of course all the important info going on with the show!

Stay tuned and until next time…

www.centralpapluggedin.com www.facebook.com/centralpa.plugdin

Special thanks to all the following for making this issue happen: Without you...well, we just would have had to work a little harder.

The Reading Tattoo Co, Shoo, American Heroes, Belly Busters, 1Up Collectibles, Its All The rage Hair Designs, Vertical Pole Fitness, Pottstown Tattoo Co, Gotham City Tattoo, The Last Level, Pocket Aces Skate Shop, Crocodile Rock Café, Michael Demos, Liana Marie, David Barber, Mark Kohl, Nicole Marie, Nicolle Stella, Vikki Sin, Tyler Heckard, Bandi Budwash, Mark Kohl, David Barber, Designs By Your Arsonist, Roadrunner Records, Century Media, W.M.G., Victory Records, Facedown Records, Fearless Records, Metal Blade records, E1, Hollywood Records, Disney, Adrenaline P.R., Solid State Records, DRP Records, Strike First, and all the amazing National and Local bands we‟ve had the privilege to work with.

Upcoming Shows April 29th - THRODL, APOLLYON, CONFESSIONS OF A LIFETIME, 20TIL8 AND PALE HARVEST!! ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR! May 13th - MANTIS, PROLIFIC, !! UPSTAIRS!! ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR!! DOORS AT 7:30!!

May 20th - GRAVEROBBER, UNDER COMMAND, FIREBORN, TWELVE AFTER, MIDNIGHT DECADENCE CD RELEASE SHOW, 20TIL8 AND REARVIEW DESTROYER!! Tix $10 advance, $15 at the door. All Ages! Doors at 6:30 May 29th - MEMORIAL MADNESS!!! DREAM DEVICE, CIRCLE OF SANITY, SUNSETS NORTH AND MORE TBA! June 3rd - END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BASH!! UNITED WE FALL, SECTION 8, CALL ME CRAZY! June 9th - IT'S A TRAP, BAMF, SKY VS. SEA, THE GREAT VALLEY AND MORE TBA! ALL AGES, $10 AT THE DOOR!!

June 11th - "JUNE MONGOUS" XTREME MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA!! BANDS, VIDEO GAMES, RAFFLES, AND SO MUCH MORE! THRODL, DREAMLAND PARK, NO REMORSE FOR THE FALLEN, APOLLYON, CONFESSIONS OF A LIFETIME, AMORA, CURSE OF SORROW, GARMONIA, MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!

June 17th - NO REMORSE FOR THE FALLEN, APOLLYON, A SCENT LIKE WOLVES, FOR THE PERILOUS, SAVE THE ZOMBIES, THE GUNPOWDER KINGS! ALL AGES! $10 AT THE DOOR, DOORS AT 7!!

June 18th - MANTIS, AND MORE TBA! June 24th - HEIROSONIC AND MORE TBA! TICKETS $10 PRESALE AND $13 AT THE DOOR! ALL AGES! DOORS AT 7:30!

July 8TH - PENNTERA, (PENTERA TRIBUTE BAND) SCHIZM, ( TOOL TRIBUTE BAND) AND HEADSTONE 118!!!

July 15th - DREAM DEVICE, 1 ECHO 1 AND MORE TBA! ALL AGES!!

www.drivingmetal.com www.thesilorocks.com