Colosoul Magazine Issue 10

I S S UE # 1 0

AL T J c l ou d c on t r ol L O C AL NAT I V ES

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CONTENTS

ALT J..........................................06 JACK COLWELL.............................08 MODERN DAY ATHLETES........................10 CALIFORNIA LOVE.......................12 FOXFEET PRESENTS: S&S.....................14 SHORT FILM FESTIVALS IN AUSTRALIA.................16 MYTHS OF BURLESQUE.........................18 A TASTE OF MOROCCO......................20 ELECTRIC VEHICLES.........................24 FASHION FEATURE: LOST DELUSIONS..................26 CLOUD CONTROL.................................36 LOCAL ARTIST SPOTLIGHT......................38 JAMIE GREEN: ONE NIGHT STAND SLEEPWEAR........41 JAGWAR MA................................42 MATTHEW WALTERS: CANNE & COCAINE.............44 PERTH BOOKSTORES.........................46 LOCAL NATIVES..................................48 PHOTOGRAPHY: SHANE THAW....................50

CONTRIBUTORS

CEO’S LETTER Dear Colosoul Readers, We are proud to be a not for profit media and arts organisation making a positive contribution towards the arts. We are a passionate bunch of young people who are talented and most of our talents can be seen though the different events we hold throughout the year, which include - music, art, photography and fashion shows.

Colosoul is always out and about supporting other cool events supporting as much as possible locally. I had the opportuntiy to attend with my good friend Anna Whyte, one of Perths well known fashion bloggers from Leather Lace and Lipstick, to the ECU fashion grad show earlier this year. I was inspired by the emerging designers creative and innovative designs, I am looking forward to seeing some of their clothing labels in our local boutiques, can’t wait to make my purchase!

trish & anna whyte: leather lace & lipstick

Our Fox Feet agency supports our emerging designers exposing their creative designs to the general public. Why buy oversees when you can support someone local? Our designers have awesome collections, they are affordable and you can guarantee you will stand out in the crowd. www.facebook.com/FoxFeet

We have now opened Awkward photography studios and the Colosoul business hub offering creative, design photography and film services. When you get involved with the Colosoul Groups many different services being offered you are directly supporting our LICK (Learn, Innovate, Colosoul, Kickstart) Mentorship program. www.facebook.com/colosoulbusinesshub Take time to get to know us and view the Colosoul Group Inc website. www.cgroup.colosoul.com.au, we are definitely more than just a magazine. Our magazines such as Colosoul is one way our young creatives can show you what they can do while you get to read some pretty cool stuff.

I always like to say a very big thank you to all our amazing volunteers because without them Colosoul would not be possible either. I would like to especially thank Sura Al Hajjaj, Joseph Gauci, Melody Verguin, Praj Muideshwar, Rachel Pietracatella, Jeff Omwyo, Steven Morgan,Asom Stordimento, Lilian Yeow, Brooke Jackson, Mark Alan, Natasha Drake, Jess Sullivan, Kylie De Vos, Terry Jones, Adrian Lloyd, Jeremy Chetty.

Thank you kindly for supporting Colosoul magazine and the Colosoul Group Inc.

10: TEAM WHO WE SUPPORT: The Esther Foundation - Perth Halo Leadership - Perth Help Save the Kids - Thailand Fair Tradie Project - Uganda WWF - Australia PMH Childrens Hospital - Perth Childwise - Australia

Tricia Ray CEO/Publisher/Founder www.colosoul.com.au

OUR PARTNERS: Student Edge, Ticketbooth, ABN Group, Pigeonhole, Transit, Obese Records, Don’t Drink and Drown, BLK Studios, World Online Print

FA I R T R A D I E P R O J E C T

The Colosoul Group Inc is open for memberships in 2013 $35 for one year includes a copy of the quarterly magazine and discounts to all Colosoul events. You also have the opportunity to win great prizes throughout the year and receive discounts from our advertising sponsors.

Become a Colosoul member today and support our not-for-profit media and arts organisation, which in turn supports young people in the industry.

Contact: www.colosoul.com.au facebook/colosoulmag Editorial: editorial@colosoul.com.au Marketing & Advertising: marketing@colosoul.com.au Administration: admin@colosoul.com.au Want to contribute? volunteer@colosoul.com.au

ABOUT THE COVER:

Publisher: Colosoul Group Inc Assistant Editor: Brooke Jackson Director & Events Coordinator: Venus d’Scarlett Creative Director: Lilian Yeow Fashion Director: Marty Collister Copy Editor: Cayden Hsu Graphic Designers/Illustrators: Lilian Yeow, Brook Wells, Nastaran Ghadiri Contributing Writers: Nathanael Rice, Kyra Shennan, Courtney Rawlings, Brooke Jackson, Elenor Dougherty, Annie Blachfod, Tara Blancato, Tiarne Cook, Vanessa Hill, Ariel Gardiner, Jasmine Roth, Dan Sloan, Vanessa Manivannen, Tara Watson, Travis Englefield, Alastair Ingram, Anthony Pyle, Shane Thaw Contributing Photographers: Erikson Nygaard, Brooke Jackson, Rhys Jackson, Ben Wright, Trent Simms Website developers: Jeff Omwoyo The Colosoul Group Inc is a media and arts NFP organisation which serves as a banner to its other publications, its Fox Feet fashion angency, business hub and is a platform for its events held during the year. These events support other NFP organisations which young people are actively involved in to help others either here in Australia or overseas.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publishers. The views expressed in Colosoul Magazine are the views of the respective writers and may not necessarily comply with those of the publisher and staff.

Colosoul Magazine is a publication of Colosoul Group Inc. © 2014 Colosoul Group Inc. All rights reserved.

The cover art of this issue is by Andrew Frazer, an illustrator and hand letterer, living in Bunbury, WA. Frazer’s style encompasses a subtlety of soft lines and obscure characters that inspire and draw the viewer, always with the intent of eliciting a smile. With his work, Frazer aims to inspire and encourage a legacy of support to help develop creativity in others.

The cover image entitled “Slowly But Surely” is an illustration that was commissioned by a lovely Perth couple, Brad & Jess for their wedding stationary invitation package.

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MUSIC

RIDING THE WAVES AN INTERVIEW WITH ALT-J

an awesome wave is the kind of debut record that doesn't come around often. released in mid 2012 to overwhelmingly positive notices, it eventually went on to win the prestigious barclayard mercury prize for best british album of 2012. nathanael rice caught up with bassist gwil sainsbury to discuss the lengthy process behind the making of the album, coachella, sxsw and splendour , broom shaped pleasure, baths with james blake, and a rather harsh pitchfork review.

Hi Gwil, what are you up to at the moment?

I’m at a beach in San Diego, We are at the end of a seven-week tour of America, and it’s our last few days. America can be a very hard long slog, but we have been lucky with the response, we have played to very grateful crowds so it’s been brilliant.

Did you play at SXSW/ Coachella?

GS: So we just did the first week of Coachella and we are about to do the second week, and we also did SXSW. We had like three shows in a day there and I think about six all up, some bands that haven’t been to the U.S before had like ten shows, so six isn’t too bad (laughs). I think Coachella is probably the best-organised, most luxurious festival I have ever been to. It does feel like people from LA have been extracted and thrown into a resort in the middle of the desert (laughs). It’s very nice, but very weird.

What has been your favourite city in America so far?

My favourite city was probably New Orleans; I thought it was incredible, almost like a fantasy world. We went to the French Quarter where everyone was just drinking from like ten in the morning, which was great. The best gig there was probably in Columbus, Ohio. No one ever really crowd surfs to us, but from the beginning of the set there was just a continuous set of crowd surfers, even in our slower songs. It was weird but I loved it.

Your debut album really just exploded and kind of felt like it came out of nowhere, but in reality you guys had been working on it for a fair while!

It’s really hard for us to say how long it took for us to write it because we were at uni for three of those years. We would write in our spare time, and occasionally we would go up to London and see our producer. The first thing we recorded was ‘Matilda’, so that song is probably four years old.

We spent most of the time trying to get signed, and when we did we spent three weeks sort of finishing off the album. So I guess it was done in bits and pieces here and there for four years or so.

Do you have like a soft spot for ‘Matilda’, being the first song you write, or do you have a different favourite?

I think my favourite changes; certainly just listening to the record I think I would have a different favourite than what I like playing live.

My favourite song on the record I think is ‘Intro’, and live it would probably ‘Bloodflood’ or ‘Taro’.

Is there a song that always gets the biggest response?

It really depends, and not even on the country but on the town. When we played ‘Breezeblocks’ in Australia, we just knew when we started that song that it was the big song, what everyone had been waiting for. But in (North) America, it really depends quite a lot on local radio. Because there is no national radio there, the local radio can play what they want to play. We are pretty much bigger in Kansas City than anywhere else in America if not the world, based on how much our stuff has been on the radio, how many records we have sold there and the fact that our biggest headline show was there.

“i think when

you start speculating you sort of end up saying too much.”

Can you say the opening words of ‘Fitzpleasure’ for me? (laughs) In your snatch fits pleasure, broom shaped pleasure.

Lovely! Where does that come from?

Its pretty fucked up (laughs). I had to explain to my parents. Its about a scene in a book called Last Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr. Basically each chapter is about a different character in this area in Brooklyn by the dock. There is one chapter about this girl called Tralala, and she sort of ends up being a prostitute. It culminates in a very complex story, but she ends up taking part in a gang rape by a group of sailors in a carpark, and then afterwards some feral children come and put a broom in her. So yeah, that’s what it’s about (laughs).

What does album title ‘An Awesome Wave’ mean or refer to?

It is basically a reference to a passage in American Psycho. The main character is taking all of his colleagues to a really nice restaurant and he says to them; “I can get a table here anytime” and so they all go along to this fancy place that you can’t just walk into. And he turns up and asks the maître d for a table for five, and she looks at him and says, “yep no problem” and takes them to the table. He describes everything sweeping over him in An Awesome Wave, and we just thought that was a really nice phrase.

I’m a big fan of the album, and you have received unanimous praise for it, including the Barclayard Mercury Prize for best British album of 2012. But one thing I found odd was the fairly negative Pitchfork review of the album. Have you read it? Does it affect you guys, and do you understand it?

I have read it. And I think I understand it. I mean, we can speculate about Pitchfork and them as a big media enterprise and what they maybe have become, but I think people are already aware of the politics involved in it. It’s certainly fair enough to have a critical review and for someone to not like you, but the strange thing about the review was that it was worded so much more critically than what the score was. Do you remember what the score was?

It was 4.8.

That’s it. Which I found weird because she sort of slammed us in the article, but then I don’t think the score was anywhere near as bad as what she wrote, so I don’t know. I think we were a little bit disappointed, just because it’s Pitchfork. I guess that the journalist decided she wasn’t into it, but it just didn’t make sense to me.

I found it really interesting. Maybe Pitchfork likes to go against the trend on some bands, but I don’t want to speculate about it too much.

I think when you start speculating you sort of end up saying too much, everyone can sort of see their own reasons for why they might of done that. We know what’s going down, we know (laughs).

You are coming to Australia in July, which kind of begs the question of whether you will be playing at Splendour in the Grass?

You know I can’t talk about those things. I don’t know (laughs). I don’t know, you know that. I don’t know!

It was worth a try! I managed to get it out of James Blake, so I thought I might as well try with you.

Well James is young and naïve; he doesn’t know what’s going on, he’s a rookie.

Classic James. Are you a fan of his new album?

I haven’t listened to it properly yet. Joe actually spent last night having a bath and listening to it, so I might have to do the same thing sometime while we are in this hotel (laughs).

I need to go, but thanks for the chat. When you head over here in July I will wave to you from the crowd when Fitzpleasure starts.

Just bring a broom along and just wave it around so I know that its you (laughs).

Written by Nathaneal Rice Image courtesy of the band

COLOSOUL # 10 | 07

MUSIC

JACK OF ALL TRADES AN INTERVIEW WITH JACK COLWELL

The self-confessed “day-dreamer” shares his thoughts on classical training, music as a sacred art form and opens up about matters of the heart.

Jack Colwell will be leaving his backing band The Owls behind when he begins shows in Sydney and Melbourne with ex-Killing Heidi frontwoman Ella Hooper as a part of her national tour. Though he won’t be visiting Perth on the west coast leg of the tour, he hopes to visit later in the year when he releases his EP. Colwell is a musical marvel. Once a classical concert bassist and also a self-taught “clumsy” pianist, he has recently been playing a lot more guitar. The multi-instrumentalist is aware of the certain “elitism” surrounding classical music and the belief that classical musicians are better than those who are self-taught. “If you’re smart, you’re quick to realise that isn’t the truth”. Despite this, he does believe the training has given him more options when adding sounds to a track.

Colwell attributes his work with contemporary music event, Vivid LIVE as helping to put him on the map in Sydney. He describes his experience working with Yeah Yeah Yeah’s leading lady Karen O, as “absolutely incredible” and “surreal, working with someone you’ve admired”.

With the help of Karen O and his involvement with her “psycho opera”, “Stop the Virgins”, he has learnt the importance of sacredness in music and believes some things should be saved for special occasions. “Culturally, as Australians, we don’t tend to look at things as sacred or spiritual. We’re constantly sharing things,

08 | COLOSOUL # 10

constantly letting people have things for free, our ideas and our photos, parts of ourselves.”

He feels connected to artists who are not swayed by popularity, rather those who favour a more obscure style. Colwell has covered songs including Beach House’s “Chamber of Hearts”, a recording which he intended to send to an ex-lover; and Kate Bush’s “Hounds of Love”. He cites Bush as one of his inspirations, as well as the tender lyricist Nick Cave, which explains the Cave-esque sound in some of his songs.

Colwell’s latest release, “Far From View” is his interpretation of a break up song where shame and heartache boil down into a “swampy, shoe-gaze rock song”. It begins with an orchestral intro, followed by the “swampy” violins and guitar which transport the listener into the rawness of those feelings. “I certainly think that there’s a sense of desperation and escapism in my music” he answered when asked if there is a particular mood he wants to convey. As someone who suffers depression, Jack feels his music puts himself outside of his sadness.

If real artists are the ones that create using truth and emotion, then Jack Colwell is some kind of master.

Written by Kyra Shennan Image courtesy of the artist

10 | COLOSOUL # 10

SOCIAL ISSUES

TOUGH STUFF

Pressures faced by modern day athletes in recent months, headlines around the world have been dominated with sporting scandals - from lance armstrong’s shocking doping confession to the charge of murder against south african paralympian oscar pistorius. on home soil, the biggest sports story has been the ongoing investigations into afl and nrl teams’ illegal supplement injections and organised crime associations.

With bad behaviour present both on and off the field, are cases of sports stars embroiled in scandal just fame and money overwhelming a rare few, or are they the results of the extreme pressures the modern sporting industry places on its most valuable players?

Since the middle of the 20th century, sport has developed into an important social and monetary industry to which entire disciplines of science and management are now dedicated. According to the 2009 figures of a worldwide survey conducted by AT Kearney, the sports industry is worth between $480-620 billion. With so much money to be made, athletes are promoted as ‘stars’ and serve as the ultimate advertisement for the industry. They are regularly traded, bought and sold as commodities used not just for their sporting abilities, but as entertainers who serve to enhance a team or club brand.

Nothing bolsters a brand like winning, and for athletes and owners alike, the incentive to win ranges from potentially overblown pay cheques to exalted social standing and the chance to be an international inspiration for millions.

In addition, physical perfection has been a highly desired attribute since the time of the ancient Greeks who saw the human body as the highest form of beauty and thus competed in the nude as a reverence to their gods. This obsession to push the physical boundaries of the human body to superhuman limits has continued into the modern era - carefully planned diets, rigorous training sessions as well as supplement and vitamin injections are all part of an athlete’s lifestyle. With so much at stake and a win-atall-costs mentality, gaining the edge over the competition is paramount and cheating is an option.

Most recently in Australia, this attitude was highlighted in the Australian Crime Commission report regarding Australia Football League (AFL) and National Rugby League (NRL) teams, claiming that players had been injected by team doctors with supplements that had not been approved for human use as well as performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) that had previously been classed by the World Anti-Doping Association as being illegal. There are those, however, who refute this claim. Phoenix Battye, lock for the Western Force for the past two seasons, states that PEDS are not a significant temptation, “It’s about integrity. You want to be known as a clean player.”

However, what is most disturbing about the ACC report was the fact that some players had no idea what was being put into their bodies.

Speaking under the condition of anonymity, a former sports scientist for the Sydney Swans Football Club highlighted how much trust some athletes place in others, “(It) depends so much on the individual as some do sport science courses at university or TAFE and some are just smart and like to ask questions.

These players will often want to know what is going on and how it benefits them. But some players are less likely to ask or say anything, which is why having good senior players to speak up for the group is important”.

The woes of athletes are not limited to financial and physical demands. Competing in national and international competitions means that separation from family and friends can also be a difficult challenge.

Battye currently lives in Perth, but his partner of three years resides permanently over east, as does the rest of his family.

Modern technology can help those separated by geography to stay in touch, but having a support system close at hand is key for many athletes whose game can be just as challenging mentally as it is physically.

Perth Wildcat Greg Hire says he sees the team’s full-time psychologist at least once a fortnight, using these sessions not just to focus on goal setting and visualisation, but also to check in on more personal matters that can affect his performance on court.

Employing full-time psychological support for players and team support staff seems to be commonplace in the modern era, with AFL, NRL, Australian Rugby Union and Cricket Australia all employing a range of specialists.

Hire says that part of his responsibility is to the 8,000-9,000 members who support the team and come and watch each game.

But they are not the only ones he claims to feel ‘indebted’ to. He has nothing but praise for his team’s sponsors, saying that their involvement has been responsible for the development of basketball as a sport in Australia and in developing the skills of the players. This praise, though, must be taken with a grain of salt.

The financial contribution of private corporations is arguably the most critical factor in the development of sports in the last 50 years. According to Forbes magazine, 17 times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer earns $30 million from sponsorships and endorsements annually, while his winnings in the last financial year were just $7.7 million in comparison. With the considerable

benefits of acting as a spokesperson, there also comes a degree of responsibility.

For the sake of the sponsorships as well as to protect the reputation of the team, the brand and the sport, the personal lives of athletes are subject to a level of scrutiny previously reserved for politicians, criminals and Hollywood celebrities.

When Olympic swimmer Stephanie Rice wrote on Twitter ‘Suck on that faggots!’ referring to the win of the Australian Wallabies over the South African Springboks, the public backlash was harsh and led to one of her leading sponsors, Jaguar, to subsequently drop her. A teary and regretful Rice fronted the media soon after to apologise for her out-of-the-pool antics. Battye sums it up when he described this interesting relationship that exists between the glory and the responsibility of being a professional athlete, ‘That’s the other side - it would be greedy to only take the acclaim and not the responsibility’.

Athletes are regularly cast as role models for the younger generations whom many feel emulate their idols’ performances both on-and-off the field. Hire, who is also a community ambassador for Wheelchair Sport WA where he previously worked, says that life as a role model was ‘nothing to stress about’ and should be embraced.

Others disagree. In a recent U.S. Forbes magazine article, former NBA star and TV analyst Charles Barkley stated that he has always been an avid supporter of the idea that athletes exist to play sport at a peak level and do not have a responsibility to be anything else. In a society that holds its sport on such a lofty pedestal, it is tempting to see sports stars as infallible people rather than professionals with jobs and lives much like everyone else.

It is said that a game is played on a five and a half inch court, the space between your head. Athletes are driven to compete by a little voice inside them. When they turn pro, that little voice is joined by several thousand other louder voices screaming at them from the sidelines, the locker room and the media all of which intrude into their personal lives.

With increased pressures to win fuelled by corporate interference in a once pure pastime, athletes will have to continue to balance the different demands that the job requires. Some will taste the spoils of victory.

Many others will fail in some aspect and should be treated as what they are after all – only human.

Written by Courtney Rawlings Illustration by Nastaran Ghadiri

COLOSOUL # 10 | 11

TRAVEL

CALIFORNIA LOVE EXPERIENCING THE BEST OF AMERICA’S WEST COAST

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TRAVEL

welcome to california. aptly nicknamed the “golden state”, this sun-kissed stretch of america’s west coast is dotted with luminous beaches (and beach bodies), scores of lush national parks, thriving metropolises and an ever eclectic mix of history and culture. as america’s third largest state (after texas and alaska) and its most populous, california is also home to some of the world’s most diverse landscapes and offers a smorgasbord of exciting sights and attractions that caters to a wide array of people, from the unseasoned to the most intrepid traveller.

Undeniably, the best way to explore California is by road - either in a rental car or by campervan.

A network of highways wind along almost the entire length and width of the state – hugging sea cliffs, snaking their way through Redwood forests and paving the way for stop-offs at some legendary coastal as well as inland towns.

SAN FRANCISCO Start the journey off in fabulously outlandish San Francisco, home to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. Pass through the hustle and bustle of pagoda-topped Chinatown and be thrown amongst intriguing whiffs and tantalising savours in Japantown. Walk the world’s most crooked street, Lombard Street, and feast boldly on famous clam chowder down on Fisherman’s Wharf.

While the infamous Alcatraz island prison may not be everyone’s cup of tea, it sure does paint quite the picture of inmate life and eerie conspiracies, set in what was known as one of the world’s most secure prison. For a more demure attraction, Alamo Square and the regal “Painted Ladies” provide glorious insight into Victorian life.

If walking the hilly streets of San Francisco is a no-go, the city is easily navigated by a ride on one of the many iconic, century old cable cars that crisscross the city. The crunch and clanging of brakes and pedals only add to the excitement and thrill of exploring an incredibly variegated city.

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK Approximately 305km inland from San Francisco lays the majestic Yosemite National Park, an outdoor adventurer’s playground steeped in serenity and tranquillity.

Continually proving to be one of California’s most popular tourist attractions, visitors to Yosemite will be stunned by the ancient forest of giant sequoias, formidable rock compositions, secluded foliaged valleys and a plethora of year round activities including white-water rafting,

hiking, cycling, rock climbing and snow sports.

Some of the park’s most captivating sites are the 2307m El Capitan, and the 2695m Half Dome two Herculean chunks of granite nestled high within the Yosemite Valley and seemingly perfect for the avid rock climber. The awe-inspiring Yosemite Falls provide for some of the most spectacular scenic photographs, as do the mesmerising Inspiration Point and Tunnel View.

Camping in one of Yosemite National Park’s 13 camp grounds has been a longstanding tradition though competition is fierce during the summer months as well as on weekends and holidays, especially in the Yosemite Valley when bookings fill up quickly - sometimes up to five months in advance.

SANTA CRUZ Stroll, shop and eat at a leisurely pace in eccentrically divine Santa Cruz. Situated along Highway 1, this new age, hippie coastal town is best known for its surf culture.

On the waterfront sits Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, California’s oldest surviving amusement park. Seafood restaurants and open air cafes also line the coast and are the perfect place to watch Santa Cruz’s alluring characters, including the comical Californian sea lions.

Further along the coast, idyllic beaches such as Main Beach are bountiful and lead towards California’s other impressive coastal areas of Monterey and Big Sur.

LOS ANGELES The City of Angels is much more than celebrity, plastic surgery victims and gridlocked traffic as far as stereotypes go.

Los Angeles is in fact crawling with funky cafés, quirky museums and an abundance of architectural gems, making it enjoyable for even the most indifferent traveller. That being said, it’s impossible to leave LA without a

short visit to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the epicentre of Hollywood celebrity culture.

Go behind the scenes and see all the ins and outs of shooting film and television at one of LA’s busy film studios such as Paramount Studios or Warner Bros Studios. Tours start from $45 but are well worth the price, if even for the star-sighting potential.

Escape the throes of celeb mania and make your way to the Getty Center, an admissionfree hub of formidable art, architectural designs and ever delightful gardens. The Annenberg Space for Photography is another inspiring cultural institution, dedicated to showcasing state-of-the-art photography by some of the world’s most renowned and emerging artists.

SAN DIEGO Follow the spectacular ocean-hugging Pacific Coast Highway from LA down to easy breezy San Diego, California’s hot spot for all things Mexican. Discover why this major highway has been designated an All-American Road as it travels past some of the most scenic and beautiful coastlines to be found in the United States.

Aside from a near perfect climate, San Diegans are also spoilt for food choice in neighbourhoods such as North Park and Hillcrest, with an abundance of trendy, ecofriendly wining and dining experiences, while Ocean Beach offers up a mouth-watering display of fish tacos and ravishing burgers.

Sprawling an impressive 4.9 million square meters and home to the world famous open range zoo, Balboa Park is also an arts and cultural enthusiast’s marketplace, showcasing an array of museums, galleries and theatres. Explore the Museum of Man and discover ancient anthropology and Native American cultures or visit the Timken Museum of Art and wonder at works by Rembrandt and Cézanne.

For untapped panoramic views of downtown San Diego, Coronado Island and the US Naval Air Station, the Cabrillo National Monument at Point Loma certainly impresses while visitors to Old Town and Presidio Hill will be transported back to life during the first Spanish settlement.

Written by Brooke Jackson Images courtesy of Rhys Jackson

COLOSOUL # 10 | 13

FASHION

INDIAN SOUL

An Interview with Shreeja of S&S having relocated to australia in 2012, shreeja rajan has been rocking her style, designing some pretty compelling attire, ever since. colosoul had the privilege of catching up with shreeja of (design label) S&S to chat with her about her style and how she got into the design business.

Where are you from and how long have you been here?

Did you come to Australia to study design?

I studied fashion design in my home city, Bombay, in India. I came here with my husband, who was recruited

by Rio Tinto a year ago.

Your fashion inspiration looks like it comes from your cultural background, have you tried to blend that with a western look? If so, why?

Though I studied fashion in India, all my class mates as well as the Indian fashion scene were majorly influenced and inspired by western trends. On the other hand I have always been fascinated by Indian textiles as there are huge, unimaginable variations and different kinds of textiles available in different states of India. Even when I was studying I always had this wish in my heart to be able to introduce these fascinating textiles to the world, especially western countries because people there are generally not seen wearing lot of colours, prints and textures. I believe these textiles have a lot of potential and will be loved everywhere. Our label S&S has used these textiles in making western silhouettes that can be worn universally.

What does the label S&S stand for?

S&S stands for Shreeja & Shweta. Shweta is a very good friend and a classmate from my fashion design studies, who is now my business partner based in India. We did our graduating fashion show in college together and we have been designing together ever since. We both have quite different design philosophies, yet we are on the same wave-length creatively. We both are huge admirers of the Indian textile art, which makes it easier for us to work together. S&S is thus a combination of both our ideas and philosophies.

Who is your fashion influence and why?

My fashion influence is Sabyasachi Mukherjee, an Indian designer who I see as a true genius and artist. He is one of the most successful designers in India and doing well around the world. He is not that well known in Australia,

although he is in New York, Milan and London. He works a lot with Indian textiles as well as creating his own fabrics using existing textile techniques. His methods of creating prints to textures for a mesmerising look on the runway are really inspiring. His work is Indian-vintage inspired with a touch of bohemia, to me its pure magic! More than working on current trends and seasons his work is about creating trends and looks of his own, which is very inspirational.

How old are you and why did you decide to become a fashion designer?

I’m 27 years old and I wanted to be a designer since the age of 12. I was drawn towards fashion design because I felt it was an extremely creative field. I used to love to sketch and play with colours as a kid; I used to think it was all about that. Funnily I graduated first as a Computer Engineer, as in India the vast majority pursues engineering and I also didn’t feel confident enough at the age of 17 to choose a career in Fashion. As fashion is comparatively less explored path in India, in comparison to engineering.

I always knew that I would do fashion after engineering and so did all my friends that I have come across. So later, I studied fashion for three years and loved every bit of it! Fashion is not just about clothes to me, it’s all about creativity and the art of creating, that is not only creatively strong but is also technically strong. A whole lot of processing goes into creating silhouettes, collections and looks. I enjoy every moment of it from start to finish.

We are both still very new at creating a brand and a brand image, we are learning as we go.

Written by Tricia Ray Image courtesy of S&S

COLOSOUL # 10 | 15

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FILM

THE SHORT AND SHORT OF IT

A Guide to Short Film Festivals in Australia in 2010 shaun tan wowed the film world with his spectacularly sweet animated short film the lost thing. the film won the oscar award for best animated short film and did the australian short film industry a solid, by showing the world just how excellent australian short films can be. of course film enthusiasts in australia hardly need to be reminded of that. australia has a (relatively) long and rich history of short film production and we also have some of the best short film festivals in the world to showcase them. we, at colosoul, decided to film festivals, so if you’re the world your awesome work, writer) you can get a handle Australia has to offer.

put together a bit of a guide to australian short a budding film maker you can get out there and show or if you are just a humble enthusiast (such as this on where and when to check out the best film produce

FLICKERFEST

A NIGHT OF HORROR

Flickerfest is one of the most successful film fests in the country. It is the only short film festival in Australia that is accredited by both the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science as well as the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). Flickerfest started its existence in the humblest of circumstances, as a film night at Balmain High School 22 years ago. Now, this prestigious festival is held annually at Bondi Beach in Sydney. I hear you groan for the injustice of living anywhere else, but take heart fellow film lovers!

Flickerfest also tours the country with the best of the best short films, staging film festivals all over! Flickerfest at Bondi will be held during the 10th-19th January in 2014. Keep an eye on the website for touring dates and submission dates for Flickerfest 2015.

A Night of Horror is an absolute must for horror film fans.

Started seven years ago, this gem of a festival has provided a stage for some of the best horror films in the nation. Initially the fest was intended to be a one night, single session deal, but submissions were so abundant that it has expanded, much to the delight of Horror fans. Now an eleven night extravaganza of gore, A Night of Horror is booming. The line up includes feature length films but half of the session times are reserved just for short films, so we’ll allow it. Submissions for A Night of Horror 2014 are now open, for more details and the dates for A Night of Horror 2014 keep a weather eye on the website.

www.flickerfest.com.au

TROPFEST Tropfest is the other big daddy of short film festivals in Aus, and rightly so! This juicy festival can be thanked for helping launch the careers of some of Australia’s favourite film personalities, including Sam Worthington and Joel Edgerton. Past judges for this fest have included the likes of the venerable Geoffrey Rush and the ethereal Cate Blanchet, along with a truckload of other super famous Aussies. Tropfest is an enormous free outdoor event held at Sydney’s Centennial Park. This short film juggernaut has also expanded to include festivals in a whole bunch of other countries as well. Hit up the website for more details and submission dates for Tropfest 2014.

www.anightofhorror.com

MELBOURNE QUEER FILM FESTIVAL Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF) has been doing its thing for 23 years, the largest and longest running queer film festival in Australia. This fest is a vibrant celebration of queer film culture bringing together some of the most talented film makers in Aus. MQFF is held annually in Melbourne, its current home is St Kilda’s Astor Theatre. This awesome fest also runs smaller film events throughout the year all around the place for up and coming film makers and enthusiasts alike. Have a gander at the website for MQFF 2014 dates and submission deets. www.mqff.com.au

tropfest.com Note: Thanks also to Alastair Ingram for his filmic wisdom.

Written by Elenor Dougherty Image courtesy of Flickr.

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THEATRE

CHEEKY BUSINESS Undressing the Myths of Burlesque

peel back the pantyhose, gloves, fake eyelashes and glitter from the word ‘burlesque’, and you will find a collection of meanings, stories and people you would have never expected.

For many, evoking the word Burlesque results in an empty stare and an equally empty response, ‘Burl-who?’ For others who have at least heard of the word, it is tainted with misleading stereotypes distorting the facts behind what exactly Burlesque sets out to achieve, where it comes from, and whether or not it is deserving of criticism.

The mysterious world of Burlesque is in need of discovering and its myths in need of exposing. To begin with, the word Burlesque, when stripped down to the ‘nude’, is defined as ‘a parody or comically embellished imitation of something.’

It might also be a surprise to learn that some words that speak truthfully about Burlesque include history, art, politics, narrative, comedy, design, taste and... even boys?

These are just some of the catchphrases Melanie Bruyer, Director of Perth’s Sugar Blue Burlesque company, and Jon Madd, an award winning ‘Boylesque’ dancer, had to contribute when they gave me an enlightening lesson on Burlesque.

MYTH # 1: BURLESQUE IS DEAD With its origins tracing back to the 1800s one may be surprised to learn that such an antique art form has managed to persevere over the centuries. With Melanie, who is more aptly known as A’dora Derriere, as my history teacher I learnt that this timeless genre is far from its grave.

From its beginnings Burlesque has been a form of social commentary that mocked the upper classes. The original ‘cooch dancers’, who performed these theatrical parodies were soon stealing the limelight and taking centre stage at the popular Variety Shows in the United States.

However, a turbulent phase in Burlesque’s history occurred when the government attempted to outlaw striptease artists during the 1940s Prohibition era by catching them in the act of ‘showing a bit too much flesh’. From here, the myth that Burlesque was beginning to die slowly grew.

Just like the liquor though, Burlesque managed to live on but was herded into underground clubs.

‘Performers became more and more risqué to try and hold their jobs but alas by the 60s it was just not popular any more and nudity became more and more common place’ says A’dora.

‘Burlesque today is part of the revival in the 1990s in the US’. This revival was inspired by Burlesque icons of the past like the ‘The Queen of Pinups’ Bettie Page. This resurgence is known as ‘Neo-Burlesque’ and can be summed up by our modern day Grand Dame of Burlesque, Dita Von Teese. If her name is not enough, the words

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‘giant martini glass’ might ring a bell, the main prop of one of her signature shows and now an iconic image for the Burlesque name.

With examples being set by the likes of Katy Perry alongside our generation’s obsession for vintage and op shopping, this pin-up girl trend is being flaunted by anyone and everyone. The glamour of Burlesque is not only alive and kicking on stage and in Hollywood but it has also infiltrated our dayto-day wardrobes and fashion personalities.

“burlesque performers simply endeavour to represent nudity in a beautiful way. it doesn’t have to be vulgar and shocking.”

MYTH # 2: BURLESQUE IS JUST A FANCY WORD FOR STRIPPING Burlesque involves so much more than stripping and not just in the clothing department. ‘I don’t think that anyone who has seen a full Burlesque show could ever say it was ‘simply stripping’’ says A’dora.

Burlesque is the art of tease - of intriguing the audience and utilising dance and entertainment to draw them in. According to Sugar Blue, the time it would take your average strip-act to have removed the entirety of their clothing, a Burlesque star may have only just finished peeling off her satin glove.

It is an art form that demands hard work, good quality performances and fantastic entertainers. A’dora explained that ‘acts often include comedy, glamour, stunning costumes as well as hair and make-up, skill and narrative.’

It is a common debate that the boundaries between adult entertainment and Burlesque are blurry. A’dora acknowledges that this myth does have some grounding because of certain acts which, as a result of a lack in taste and modesty, risk crossing this line.

Certain customs also help to clearly define the difference between Burlesque and the ‘service industry’ of stripping. Performers must wear pasties - no, not your favourite

veggie filled pastry - but rather, stylish nipple covers, and the lower regions must also be covered to abide with liquor licensing laws in Australia as well as in most cities around the world.

So putting it in other words, Burlesque performers simply endeavour to represent nudity in a beautiful way. ‘It doesn’t have to be vulgar and shocking.’

As Madd added, ‘there is a different atmosphere at a Burlesque show than at a strip club. It is a lot more fun, or at least a different kind of fun.’ A huge difference is the audience. They are more educated and show nothing but respect for the performance, ‘you don’t just get people coming and sitting there with their eyes wide open and their jaws hanging out quietly loitering in the back.’

Madd recalls having performed (sometimes accidentally) for unsuspecting young families and even grandparents. Often the unsuspecting spectator would suffer a temporary heart attack thinking, ‘Oh my God, what have I done’ but they always end up loving the shows and wanting to come back for more. ‘That’s an encouraging sign’ says Madd.

MYTH # 3: BURLESQUE IS SEXIST / BURLESQUE OBJECTIFIES WOMEN Burlesque is essentially the same as any performance art that involves women dancing, acting and entertaining on stage to an audience. The only difference is the revealing nature of the acts and the overt confidence the performers have in themselves and their bodies.

How can this be considered sexual objectification of women, especially when it is an art that revolves around individuality?

Unlike a beauty pageant in which a row of tanned, blonde, leggy and toned Barbie dolls are required to walk down a catwalk, a Burlesque competition features a myriad of different body types and looks.

‘Unlike the media stereotype of the ‘perfect body image’, Burlesque accepts and showcases performers in all shapes and forms,’ says A’dora. Not only is this inspiring and liberating for the audience but also the women in the spotlight.

At the classes run by Sugar Blue, women place immense value in the opportunity for personal expression, to tick off a goal on their bucket list and come out at the end of it with more confidence in their own bodies.

Extending from its satirical roots, Burlesque is also a medium for communicating political messages. Would it make sense that such a

sexist and degrading female activity could be capable of such things?

These educated and powerful messages go beyond the stage and even onto the streets. Burlesque performers were recently involved with the Perth ‘SlutWalk’, a protest supporting sexual assault victims and fighting against the culture of excusing rape by referring to the way women dress.

MYTH # 4: BURLESQUE IS A GIRLS ONLY CLUB For something that apparently objectifies women, it is confusing to find that there is a steadily increasing involvement of boys, this newfound popularity even resulting in the creation of their own sub-genre, ‘Boylesque’.

‘Boy-what’ you say? When asked exactly what Boylesque is, Madd replies ‘I don’t think there is much of a difference really between Burlesque and Boylesque, except that it is performed by a boy not a girl.’

In that case does Boylesque simply mimic Burlesque? Madd admits that the girls know how it is done and so Boylesque dancers often take a feminine approach, ‘there are even men corsets’.

The only problem is that men obviously lack the valuable lines of a female figure, which help create mesmerising and beautiful Burlesque performances. For a good Boylesque performance, the dancer has to bring something else to the table, ‘the sexiness should be different.’

Madd’s unique ‘selling point’ is his knack for comedy. What won him a spot in the National Boylesque Competition in Melbourne was his slapstick performance bouncing up and down inside a giant red balloon – a rather quirky take on the giant martini glass, you could say.

I am not sure whether it was his resemblance of an Angry Bird character or the fact he managed to undress from his metallic tuxedo mid-balloon that made it most entertaining, but either way it certainly was a crowd pleaser, which is Madd’s number one priority.

With Burlesque finding life in a new generation internationally and now even in Perth’s growing cultural scene, the many layers of this art continue to unfold. With its current momentum, the once underground world is now appealing to the masses - boys and girls, the young and the old. This is a sure sign that the truth behind Burlesque entertainment are becoming more and more well known, and the only mystery will be left to the imaginations of the audience.

Written by Annie Blachford Illustration by Nastaran Ghadiri

MAGICAL MOROCCO

a culinary journey through one of africa’s most tantalising cuisines.

perth MEEKA 361 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA At the top end of Rokeby Road, Subiaco lies Meeka, an undeniably alluring and friendly culinary find.

This family owned and run business boasts a diverse menu of modern Australian dishes flecked with exotic and inspiring Moroccan and Middle Eastern flavours.

Start the evening (or lunch) off with the mezze plate ($30) – a generous display of kataifi (fine noodle Greek pastry) wrapped prawns with a green harissa tarator (honey nut-based mayonnaise), Greek leek croquettes with tomato jam and beautifully tender preserved lemon and harissa-coated chicken skewers. Changed daily, the mezze plate is one of Meeka’s most divine displays of fresh produce and inviting aromas.

Venturing into the mains, the lamb cutlets ($38) with eggplant salad, hommus mousse and fried chickpeas are ever enticing for meat lovers, or opt for the chermoula chicken tajine ($33), a delightful blend of fresh herbs and spices mingled with flavoursome eggplant, green olives, preserved lemon and capsicum served with beautifully delicate Israeli couscous.

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sydney Other succulent duck, pork, beef, lamb and chicken dishes are also on offer while those seeking vegetarian and gluten-free options can just as easily be satisfied.

For the wine inclined, Meeka stocks an extensive array of local and international wines, carefully sourced by their own sommelier.

Dining at Meeka would not be complete without sampling some of the delectable desserts. For the adventurous, don’t go past the jumbo (it really is jumbo!) pistachio macaron ($15) with spiced chocolate mousse, complimented by a raspberry rose coulis and topped with rose-flavoured Persian fairy floss, easily shared by two! And for those just seeking a palate refresher, on display are a variety of tantalising sorbets and ice creams ($6.80) – our picks were the salted caramel and popping candy paired with the honeycomb fig and coffee syrup.

With the ambiance of a Middle Eastern restaurant and the friendliness of its staff, Meeka is a clever fusion of Moroccan and modern Australian cuisine.

However, don’t be deterred by its modest setting: Meeka is best experienced casually amongst friends and family.

Written by Brooke Jackson

OUT OF AFRICA 43-45 East Esplanade, Manly NSW Tucked away below street level at the eastern end of The Esplanade, Out Of Africa successfully creates an exotic haven that blocks out the bustling street traffic of Manly Wharf. Diners step into a vibrant world saturated in Moroccan culture, from the ornate rugs and artworks to the zebra print couches and the dimly lit rustic wooden tables. Hassan M’Souli’s menu achieves the perfect balance between traditional North African meals and classic Moroccan flavours prepared with a modern twist. The only decision more difficult than selecting just one of the couscous sides to accompany your tagine is choosing from the impressive list of tribal brews – a cocktail menu full of exotic concoctions that implore you to order another. Entrees start from $13 and mains from $23 so bringing mates along is an ideal way of trying a little of everything. For the inspired, the head chef offers cooking classes every couple of months so keep an eye out for the dates.

Written by Tara Blancato

FOOD

melbourne of his finest dishes. Firstly, traditional Moroccan flat bread, known as msemmen, stuffed with goat’s cheese, baby spinach, harrissa and finished with argan oil.

adelaide MARRAKECH RESTAURANT 66 King Willam Rd, Hyde Park SA Leave the autumn Adelaide chill behind as you step inside Marrakech Restaurant and become immersed in Moroccan culture. Warm and welcoming, Marrakech invites you in with the lovely, lingering aroma of harrissa, a cosy, colourful ambience and smiles from the friendly staff. Situated in the eastern suburbs of Adelaide, Marrakech Restaurant boasts authentic Moroccan cuisine, full of the freshest quality ingredients served with finesse by the very hospitable owner and chef, Mohamed Bartaouch.

Chef Mohamed circulates the room on a nightly basis, in between his cooking duties. He converses with customers, passionately describing his dishes and even performs juggling acts for younger patrons. Marrakech offers a kind of service that is rare in restaurants today.

Chef Mohamed takes care of us, cooking a selection

Next, bestella, a Moroccan filo specialty, followed by steaming hot tagines comprised of succulent meat and flavoured with a variety of traditional homemade spice mixes. Preserved lemons, roasted almonds and dried fruits play a pivotal part in the complex flavours. Every dish is fittingly accompanied by baskets of soft puffy bread and couscous. The food is warming, tasty and beautifully presented, and has me wondering why I don’t eat Moroccan food more often. To finish the meal, wait staff pour traditional mint tea with great showmanship, lifting the teapot high above patterned glasses without spilling a drop. Diners sit in awe, amazed by this Moroccan custom that is traditionally seen as a sign of hospitality.

For a chilly Wednesday night, Marrakech Restaurant is buzzing with people and it is no wonder why. Not only is the food delicious, the service is second to none; you are not treated merely as a diner, but rather a welcome guest in their home. To conclude the night, traditional rose scented oil is dispensed onto the hands of guests and chef Mohamed graciously says farewell at the door. I step outside feeling warmed from the inside out, as if I have truly experienced a small part of Moroccan culture.

Written by Tiarne Cook

SAHARA RESTAURANT BAR 1/301 Swanston St Melbourne VIC Tucked in amongst the hard concrete of Melbourne’s CBD is the Sahara Restaurant and Bar. This Moroccan and Middle Eastern eatery is located up a dimly lit staircase off Swanston Street, and even has its own rooftop lounge with shisha to relax and soak up the atmosphere during the winter months. The restaurant is located on the first floor where friendly staff will greet you upon entry and guide you to your table in the spacious 60 plus rustic room. Moroccan lanterns adorn the ceiling throwing subtle lighting against the textured walls.

Light jazz music can be heard which all adds to the aesthetics of the space. When it comes to the food, their speciality can be found in the selection of dishes that make up their Hot Mezze menu, pronounced “Mez-ay”. These are small dishes that use the unique flavours of Northern African cooking and give them a modern twist making for a delicious dining experience. The Herdsmans Grill offering from the Lamb and Beef section of the mains menu is somewhat disappointing, but the freshness of the lamb kefta skewer saves the dish. The Moroccan Fish Masala Tagine from their selection of seafood dishes exceeds expectations and is perfect for a chilly evening. Overall, Sahara Restaurant works best as a North African tapas bar, where one can sample different flavours and spices for a reasonable price. Combined with the novelty of shisha and wonderful saganaki cheese this is definitely a dining experience worth coming back to.

Written by Vanessa Hill

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ENVIRONMENT

ELECTRIC CHARGE ELECTRIC VEHICLES: EMBRACE THE POWER The ever-present impediments to innovation are the doubters and sceptics – inevitably when something new is presented to society it will often come into conflict with an established idea. Remember how Columbus was considered crazy for saying he could sail around the earth? In this sense, a similar battle is currently taking place in the auto industry with entrenched fuel and diesel vehicles facing a challenge from electric vehicles (EVs).

While Perth appears to be an ideal market for EVs (we have flat terrain and superb weather, relatively high disposable incomes, a dependence on cars for transport and even a pro-environment mindset when convenient), recent registration data in early 2013 indicated there were a scant 85 EVs on the roads of Western Australia. Surely one reason there are so few is the current price tag. The three mass-production EVs currently available in Australia – the Mitsubishi MiEV ($48,800), Nissan Leaf ($51,000) and Holden Volt ($63,000) – all come with steep initial costs.

These figures confirm this notion as those road-ready prices resulted in just 252 EV car sales Australia-wide in 2012. It appears Australia is miles behind the US market which – while generally selling 13 times the number of vehicles compared to Australia each year, roughly equivalent to the population disparity – sold more than 200 times the number of EVs in the same period. So what is going on with the Australian market? Why has consumer demand not forced a bidding war between car makers to provide a reasonably priced EV? Aside from the price tag, there are two oftdiscussed inhibitors in the mind of consumers preventing large-scale interest in EVs: range anxiety and infrastructure. Range anxiety, the concern an EV will run out of charge before reaching its next charging station, is actually a matter of weight - the quantity of batteries required to store enough energy to enter the 300-500 kilometre driving range (to set them on par with petrol powered internal combustion engine or ICE vehicles) would make the EV too heavy and inefficient. The resulting comparably short ranges of the EVs and longer recharging times (in comparison to refuelling petrol cars) would make driving a planning-intensive activity.

The second inhibitor is the lack of infrastructure and high-speed charging stations to support EVs which subsequently limits the places an EV vehicle would be able to travel to.

However, these issues can largely be avoided.

According to the Department of Transport, the average Perth round-trip commute is only 25 kilometres, a figure well within the range of all three mass-marketed EV vehicles currently available in Perth. In fact, half of all driving trips in Perth are 5 kilometres or less. Additionally per the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 58% of households have multiple cars, so having one ICE vehicle for extended driving (e.g. road trips) would conceivably solve the range anxiety concerns for most whilst allowing the majority of driving to be done with an EV.

There is a little more to the picture in Australia than pure lack of demand. When new technology emerges, dollar hungry opportunists must decide whether it is something they will fight against or embrace depending on their current business position. The following options are usually pursued: become an early adopter and seize the advantages of being among the first to provide the new technology, watch from the sidelines and wait for a more certain opportunity to enter the game, or actively campaign against the technology to protect established business operations. In WA, it appears the actions of nearly all EV-related businesses in WA fall into the two latter categories.

“there is a little

more to the picture in australia than pure lack of demand.”

Though the three aforementioned manufacturers are technically selling EVs in Australia, it appears to be a passive activity.

The lack of advertising or promotion of EVs by carmakers entering EV the market is odd to say the least. It seems nonsensical for a business to enter a new market yet choose not to promote their new product.

This is because these businesses have not committed to selling EVs in Australia and have instead chosen to defend their current business interests – making money off ICE vehicles – while offering a few high-priced options for enthusiasts.

If you think about it, EVs won’t really increase Australia’s economic output - in fact, they will likely hurt it. Ford, Holden, and Toyota are the only three large-scale producers who still manufacture any vehicles in Australia, with Ford recently announcing plans to cease all Australian auto manufacturing by 2016. Of those, only Holden currently sells an EV. However, Holden does not make the Volt as the vehicle is actually built in the US by Holden’s parent company, General Motors, and then imported. With nearly all manufacturing taking place overseas and high import costs resulting in slim profit margins for Australian retailers, established domestic auto businesses have little incentive to mass market EVs.

Aside from the obvious loss of customers for the petrol companies, related automotive businesses such as parts and repair providers will also suffer as they would be required to undergo expensive retooling to handle the new technology. Additionally, as EVs feature fewer moving parts there will also be a notable decline in need for those associated industries.

The sceptical-of-EV sentiment is often relayed in the Australian media which frequently chooses to present the view that EVs are actually worse for the environment as they require electricity, which is produced by burning dirty coal. While the entire picture should be considered, the issue of the electricity grid and EVs should be separated. The vehicles will always be zero emission but the nation’s electric grid, which admittedly relies on fossil fuel sources, stands to become progressively cleaner as it increasingly derives energy from clean renewable sources, something that will occur irrespective of electric vehicles.

In this situation some look toward the government – which routinely intervenes in business operations via legislation and subsidies if there is a perceived benefit to society – to assist the floundering EV market just as it has done the last decade with the solar energy market. However, to date, there has been no incentives enacted anywhere in Australia, which opposes the approach taken by a majority of other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations.

Fortunately, a more affordable alternative exists in Perth in the conversion business.

Perth-based EV Works and other similar businesses have converted more than 40 new and used ICE vehicles into 100% electrics in WA. While EV Works co-owner Rob Mason has found that his customers to date consist of pro-environment enthusiasts and those with sentimental attachment to their ICE vehicles, at roughly $20,000-30,000 for a full conversion, prices are significantly cheaper than buying anew.

While battery technology is slowly but surely improving with increasing storage capacity and decreasing costs of production, and the US’s Tesla Motors proving manufacturing EVs can be profitable, many experts feel it is only a matter of time before EVs begin to dominate new vehicle sales. But a sense of frustration has seeped into some Australian consumers who are still waiting for that reliable, longrange, fast-charging, competitively priced emission-free vehicle. Perhaps Nissan’s May announcement of a Leaf price drop by more than 20% all the way down to $39,990 is an encouraging sign that real competition in the Australian EV market is afoot.

Written by Ariel Gardiner Illustration by Brook Wells COLOSOUL # 10 | 25

L O S T D E L U S I O N

director/producer: miz marty mcfly | photography: erikson nygaard at moskire media | production/ assistant photography: henry whitehead | Styling: holly reedman | hair: blake polmear | make up: phoebe gonzalvo-hall | models: kate fearns & simon cheah | special thanks to holly warren, morgan davies designs & new age modelling

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simon wears rockwell shirt in navy & warlord chinos in mint, courtesy of politix. V neck pullover in orange & flynn blazer in navy courtesy of oxford. seawolf locket necklace courtesy of behind the monkey. footwear courtesy of zu.

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simon wears printed highgate shirt in pistachio courtesy of oxford. uhlans shorts in light blue & altino belt in navy/beige courtesy of politix. kate wears mesh trim dress in ivory courtesy of oxford. rockwell print tee courtesy of morgan davies. peter lang neon fringe bracelet courtesy of behind the monkey. footwear courtesy of zu.

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simon wears strand blazer in navy/beige, cinisi shirt in floral & warlord chinos in sand, courtesy of politix. footwear courtesy of zu

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kate wears contrast sleeve top in yellow & silk pant in blue courtesy of oxford. peter lang skull necklace and peter lang neon skull cuff courtesy of behind the monkey. footwear courtesy of zu

3/144 Rokeby Rd, Subiaco WA Tel: 9388 3357 Retro, recycled and vintage clothing Costumes for hire Locally designed garments

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MUSIC

UP IN THE CLOUDS AN INTERVIEW WITH CLOUD CONTROL

jasmine roth chats to ulrich lenffer (drums) and jeremy kelshaw (bass) of rock whiz band cloud control about sounds, flavours, the festival route and their latest project, dream Cave.

What got you into making music?

J: I kind of always wanted to be in a band. I was never satisfied doing anything else.

U: We all played music since we were babies, so it wasn’t that much of a big deal, the idea of a band, for us. It was just like an extension of that, and it was just a bit of fun.

Did you ever expect to reach the status you are at now?

J: Not really. I don’t really know what kind of status we’re at. We’re all poor [laughs]. We could always kind of see the big picture unfolding. But to go full time, it really only came about when we got a call from our manager saying a really great UK label has picked you up and wants to tour you around Europe a bunch of times.

That’s literally the phone call that changed our lives. So we quit our jobs and moved to London.

You grew up in the Blue Mountains.

Do you think the experience of living outside of the city has influenced some of the more ‘rootsy’ sounding songs on Bliss Release? Or is it more the kind of music you listened to?

J: Growing up in the mountains, I don’t think you can escape your environment.

But at the same time, it wasn’t like, “We’re from the mountains, let’s make this hippy record”. It was never trying to be like that. And the same is true with the new album, Dream Cave. We’ve been in London and surely that has kind of woven it’s way onto the record, but it’s never been a conscious thing. It’s more what we listen to and what we’ve been referencing that’s been the conscious effort.

How would you say your new album Dream Cave differs from your previous work?

U: I think it’s a more mature album. There are more flavours on it. Things we deliberately said “no” to for Bliss Release, like an idea, or a direction, or a device, were fair game for this album. We weren’t restricting ourselves. We took more risks.

J: There’s more diversity, which is something we’ve always been complimented on. But with this album, we reworked the aural landscape for every song, all the sounds, and really tailor-made the soundscape that we were using to what the song needed, rather than forcing the song into the sounds that you’ve got.

As artists, do you believe it’s important have a distinguishable sound, and to maintain it from album to album?

J: I think our record labels would say it’s very important to have a sound [laughs]. We never think like that.

U: I think the bottom line is the sounds are our voices and our musical expression. I think that’s our sound. So as long as we keep singing and keep playing the instruments the way we do, I think it’s always going to sound like Cloud Control. We’re not one of those concept bands that tries to take on a personality for each album, or anything like that. It’s just about the music.

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You recorded the vocals for one of the songs in a cave. What was your reason for that?

J: We did the vocals for ‘Dream Cave’ in a cave. The theory was, you’ve kind of been on this journey through an album, and we just wanted something to refresh you for the last song, which is the title track. I really like what we’ve done, which is make an event of that song by having this chorus sing something, and who sound like they’re lost in a cave. It sounds like they’re round a corner and you can’t see them, but I can imagine hearing it and wandering around in the dark, and it’s the music that guides you. I think it’s just a special way to end the album.

You performed at the Vivid LIVE show at Sydney Opera House last year. What was that experience like?

J: It’s a funny festival because you buy tickets to the show, rather than buy tickets to the festival. So it’s kind of like there’s just a bunch of gigs at the Opera House.

U: They just have really good PR [laughs].

J: Great PR, exactly [laughs]. We’ve done the Great Escape festival in Brighton in England, which has the same kind of thing where it’s separated with lots of venues, and there’s no central classic, open field, main stage to it. I think festivals like that struggle to create a vibe. But the good thing about Vivid is, even though there are multiple gigs going on at the same time, it’s one venue. And the light show that they’ve created really makes you feel part of it.

I love your cover of Kid Cudi’s ‘Pursuit of Happiness’ that you did for Triple J’s “Like A Version”. What inspired you to cover that particular song?

J: We wanted to do something out of our genre. It was a song that was out at the time and it was a good song, probably a bit of an underrated song. There’s just something about it. The film clip’s amazing, and the song’s got something to say as well. I think people get that’s it’s a good song. If you pick a song that people know, they really want to feel like they can be a part of that and sing along with that, and I think our arrangement was really good at helping people feel involved, especially live. There’s no bass in it, it’s just kick drum.

It’s kind of an electrified, campfire sing-a-long. It worked.

Lastly, but not least importantly, which of the following superpowers would you rather have, and why: a) teleportation or b) invisibility J: Teleportation, straight up. I think people that take invisibility just want to be sneaky and hide in girls’ bathrooms. But teleportation, think about it – you could go anywhere and do anything. I would never have to get a plane anymore. That would be great! Because planes are a little bit fun, but they’re mostly really boring. Right now - I’d take you with me - we could be in Spain, in the summertime, sipping coffee on a yacht!

Written by Jasmine Roth Image courtesy of the band

MUSIC

LOCAL ARTISTS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

TO CATCH A FOX Perth’s very own post-hardcore band To Catch A Fox came together in October 2012. In true Gen-Y style, it was a Facebook status update calling for members that brought the band together. After the five-piece band found their feet, they immediately started recording their debut EP Dreaming in Reality. Having recently played with Wake the Giants and Life Beyond, To Catch A Fox is definitely starting to make a name for themselves in Perth’s hardcore metal / punk scene.

“We only got into this for the fun of it, my one goal was to play to a crow crowd of at least 50 people actually into the music and we ended up accomplishing this on our very first show,” vocalist Troy Van der Meer says.

In fact, that very first show at YMCA HQ in Leederville in December 2012 was completely sold out.

“Anything more however small or large is just a bonus!” he said.

Influenced by the sounds of Memphis May Fire, Parkway Drive and Sleeping With Sirens, listeners will be guaranteed you will be transported to hardcore punk heaven. Van der Meer’s unique sound gives the talented bunch an edge that many aspiring post-hardcore band lack. Having recently been signed to Snowman Events Management, To Catch A Fox is headed for hardcore sonic greatness and is definitely a band worth keeping under your punk radar.

MORGAN BAIN I always knew that, as people, we are inherently musical and that as we develop so does our inherent talent but when Morgan Bain described the first experience he had tapping into his it left me nothing but amazed, intrigued and inspired. At age ten he wrote his first song, contemplating the circumstances of a homeless man that knocked around his neighbourhood - the song’s title “What Do You Think?”, and i have to say what I think. As far as Morgan Bain is concerned, from what I’ve seen and heard I must say I’m excited.

Lyrically Bain has evolved exponentially and well beyond any predisposed boundaries. His music comes from a place indicative of self discovery, inner and outer contemplation, the world he occupies, his mates, loves gained and lost and the perpetual ambivalence of trials and tribulations he faces. A broad and forever gathering pool of inspiration. Songs such as; ‘Unkind’, ‘Tear Me Right Apart’ and ‘Deep Hollow Howl’ have a special place in his heart and give an extreme insight, not only into his creative influences, but also demonstrate his ability to vary the position, tone and message his music encapsulates.

Growing up in Australia we have our icons and although in the dawn of his career Bain’s presence among them is well situated. Having supported Aussie legends such as Cold Chisel, Ash Grunwald and Xavier Rudd, Bain has proven his sound stands alone. For a man 18 years young he already has a footprint

38 | COLOSOUL # 10

MUSIC that has seen him join said legends, his voice already gaining an almost iconic staple. Bain realised at an even younger age that this is what he was meant to do, his eclectic skills made up of guitar, piano, a vigorous harmonica and stomp box all in collusion with his unique vocals gives him an arsenal to which his creativity can find catharsis.

Morgan’s stage presence has been described in fervent detail as dynamic, exciting and ultimately moving which coupled significantly with his music has provided his audience with with a man worthy of credence. Recently Bain has teamed up with drummer and guitarist Callum Kramer really shifting his rootsy acoustic vibe to a far louder, high energy, rock and rock set to create a spectacular live performance. The two have amazing chemistry on stage with this new symbiosis taking their music up a notch or 12!

Bain’s lyrical ingenuity has resulted in multiple awards. In 2011 Bain took away the WAM Song of the Year and again in 2012 and in both years he made his way into the Semi Finals in the International Songwriting Competition in Nashville. His accomplishments pay homage to his music.

With gigs booked up all over Perth Bain has been flat out, traversing familiar stomping grounds such as Scarborough, Fremantle and various Northbridge and city venues (will all be made specific) his grasp on Perth is being reciprocated by a dedicated following and a youth that seems refreshed and refocused. Morgan Bain is a man that it will be hard to miss, his sound, presence and distinct style culminate together to produce something not only meaningful but fun and ultimately gratifying to listen to.

One to watch out for!

SILVER HILLS A medley of psychedelic rock and ambient vibrations have been heard creeping into city streets and suburban homes - their origin, the Silver Hills. An up and coming outfit out of Perth these lads have burst onto the scene with their own unique take on the psychedelic rock genre and have become one band to keep your eye on.

The boys met in high school and although having never played together were brought back together by their mutual love for all things psychedelic, reunited outside of a tame impala concert and after sharing an inspiring ‘word’ the Silver Hills were born.

Their sound takes you back to the 60’s, dreamscapes and reinvention, their music definitely has the ability to take you on a journey. Their songs focus genuinely on self discovery and contemplation, existence and existentialism and their experience with the world around and its beauty. Tracks such as ‘Sunsets On The West Coast’ really transport you to the beach and if you’re from the west coast you’ll know exactly what i mean when you hear it. You can tell they have a lot of love for where they come from.

FAIM After five years playing their old stomping ground, honing in on what makes them great, Perth theatrical punk rockers FAIM have decided to grace us with their debut album “Pretty Well Over the Bay”. Their assimilation of all things punk, coupled with a hint of glam rock and a stage presence that leaves little to the imagination FAIM simply delivers.

Silver Hills have been playing their hearts out all over this fine city the past six months, regularly playing venues such as Mojos and Corner Gallery which the band hailed Mojos their ‘amazing vibes’ and Corner gallery for it’s creative energies’. I asked frontman Mark McGlue when we could expect a possible single or EP release and it looks like we won’t be waiting long with a release set for mid September.

Written by Dan Sloan and Vanessa Manivannen Images courtesy of the bands

Fast drums, bass and solos that transport you back to the time of rhinestones and keytars along with guitar riffs reminiscent of the Dead Kennedys will keep you in freefall. But the lyrics of the infamous and more often than not, shirtless frontman Noah Skape will pull you back to earth. Holding the stage, the man gives a ripper of a performance. Lyrically FAIM is solid, however, it is their delivery that truly cements them - energetic, passionate and sweaty best describes a typical performance from these colourful characters.

With their winter tour behind them, FAIM has significantly focused themselves back on Perth playing a slew of gigs with no end in sight. With their presence being felt back in Perth, my advice would be to pay the a visit and see what all the fuss is about.

COLOSOUL # 10 | 39

AD

SOCIAL ISSUES

KEEN FOR A ONE NIGHT STAND?

SLEEPWEAR WITH JAMIE GREEN homelessness on our streets is a very sad reality for up to 100,000 australians every night. one young melbournian is taking action to combat the issue while at the same time providing a youthfully cool range of sustainable sleepwear. jamie green is a driven 26 year old self-starter whose personal experience of living without any solid form of accommodation inspired him to create a profit for purpose sleepwear brand to benefit homeless youth.

An entrepreneur by the age of seventeen after starting his first business venture, Green found himself in dire financial circumstances when his business went sour. Not knowing what bed he was to sleep in at night, his time spent homeless created the desire to help people that were even worse off than he was.

This is where Green’s brainchild One Night Stand manifested, a sleepwear brand manufactured with 100% organic cotton and wholly Australian made.

With a small team of like-minded people in Melbourne behind him, One Night Stand is a social enterprise about connecting others to make a change.

‘I started to go around looking at not-for-profits in the homeless sector and asking what they needed and most of them just said money. So I was like ‘Alright, let’s see if we can make some money for these guys while they continue to do their work.’ So that’s where the idea for One Night Stand came from.’

Green saw a gap in the market in Australia for sleepwear for a younger demographic, which pushed him to develop sleepwear marketed towards young people with cheeky logos such as ‘I had a one night stand with...’

The idea behind the sleepwear brand was inspired by the kinds of items you might ‘grab out of your boyfriends cupboard after you slept over’. This will include sloppy joes, bed tights, pillow cases, light robes, bed singlets, shorts and shirts in the themes of ‘Basics’, ‘Day Of Dead’ and ‘Bonhomie’, all of which can be mixed and matched.

Green also believes that businesses should be more involved in affecting social change and used as ‘a force for good’ rather than just for making a profit. Businesses should be moving to spearhead funding to solve the issue of homelessness not just through charity but through business enterprise.

‘We are the wrong way about charity. Charities are stuck in two percent of the overall GDP, never higher and the businesses are holding the rest of that cash. So if we can start using some of that money, we could solve the issues much faster. It’s really important for businesses to take the initiative to do something big and positive and not just make money.’

“it’s really important for businesses to take the initiative to do something big and positive and not just make money.”

Green says that new innovations in funding for charities are necessary to combat ‘cause fatigue’ and ways to overcome this can be found in the ‘power of the purchase’, incorporating giving by selling products that the public would already be buying e.g. sleepwear.

Green has a wide spanning goal for the future of One Night Stand. ‘My vision for the brand is to go global and become one of the biggest players in the sleepwear industry funding many great projects, tackling the issues of homeless youth’.

All profits from One Night Stand sleepwear will go towards investing in projects for solving youth homelessness, initially in Melbourne but with plans to expand across Australia.

WWW.ONENIGHTSTANDSLEEPWEAR.COM Written by Tara Watson Image courtesy of One Night Stand Sleepwear COLOSOUL # 10 | 41

MUSIC

THE TRANSCENDING HOWL

AN INTERVIEW WITH JAGWAR MA

we talk to gabriel winterfield, lead vocalist and guitarist for jagwar ma about their songwriting process, their “indie-kid tricking” live show, and their debut record.

I saw you guys play ages ago when you were doing the Lost Valentinos and Ghostwood stuff. What led you to put down the guitars, so to speak? What’s the narrative behind the move towards more produced kinds of jams?

Basically, Jono (Jono Ma) and I both played in different bands. Both of those bands played together a lot - I guess we were part of the Sydney scene, if it’s something that could be called that. And we played a lot and then about a year, maybe two years ago, both our bands were going through different things. I was working on this other thing, I had these rough demos and I called Jono and said, “Have a listen to this, what do you think?” And he liked it and he said “Well, have a listen to this,” and he played the track he was working on, a track of his own. And that started this kind of contra thing, where it was ‘you sing on my tracks, and I’ll record your shit.’ After a bit we sort of realized it all worked quite well together and then it turned into us starting a band together. As far as the creative move toward making it more electronic and things like that, I think that was already going to happen. I know Valentinos already were using synths and stuff on stage and we (Ghostwood) always had drum machines and things as well so it was always going to, I guess, move that way. Having said that, we both still play guitars live. I still play guitar on a few tracks and so does Jono. I think guitar is something that transcends trends.

Does that background in rock bands bleed into the songwriting of the new material? What’s the composition process - when do the melodies come along and is it beat-driven?

It varies from song to song, but the standard is that we start with a sample - Jono will make a sample either by pulling bits and pieces from some old, dusty records, or maybe from putting it together with an MPC, or whatever, and then we listen to it and go ‘yeah, that’s kind of cool’, and then bring up a microphone and wrap some different melodies over the top of that and then cut it all up.

That’s the case for some of the tracks, but then other times it’s a bit different. It’s a very tactile process. I feel like we’re feeling the

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music out as we’re writing, if that makes any sense.

Totally. So it’s not like there’s a traditional ‘here’s a chord progression’ situation?

No, but then again, sometimes it is - some of the songs did start out very traditionally, as far as sitting in a living room with a guitar, strumming out chords, putting pen to paper and writing lyrics, or doing the same with a piano. And that might be the inception of it.

It might start like that but the end result might be quite different.

What’s the live show like now, is it a rave-up or a concert?

The way I like to think of it is we sort of trick indie kids into raving that’s how the set sort of works. How the show’s been orchestrated is it’s almost like a D.J. set, in the sense that the tempos at the start are kind of a bit slower, a bit cruisier, and then we build up the tempo and by the end it’s kind of chargey. But it is definitely a mixture between sounding very band-ish and a bit mo-towny, and then other times it’s just straight-up techno.

What about the record, Howlin? Do you have it all finished?

We’re pretty much just... you know when you get your car washed and at the very end there are people all just polishing it? That’s the stage we’re at with the record right now - just polishing those mirrors, making them look shiny. That’s where we’re at right now.

It’s nearly ready to drive.

What kind of car would you describe it as?

I don’t know. A Jaguar. That seems fitting.

Jagwar Ma’s debut album Howlin is available now.

Written by Travis Englefield Image courtesy of the band

A CUT ABOVE THE REST experienced passionate patient professional

book now!

1800 858 899 www.drivestyle.com.au

MUSIC

CANNES & COCAINE A PROFILE ON MATTHEW WALTERS

From being kidnapped twice on his mother’s birthday, getting charged for importing $160k worth of cocaine, being shot while on bail, to getting accepted in to the Cannes Film Festival, Matthew Walters has been around the tracks and seen more in his life than most people will ever experience.

From being kidnapped twice on his mother’s birthday, getting charged for importing $160k worth of cocaine, being shot while on bail, to getting accepted in to the Cannes Film Festival, Matthew Walters has been around the tracks and seen more in his life than most people will ever experience.

Matt is a Jamaican born lad who shipped over to Birmingham, England, at a young age with a tight family and a wealthy lifestyle. Matt’s father was a business owner and jack-of-all-trades, a man Matt could look up to and play fight with in the local car wash.

Not long after moving to Birmingham the parent’s relationship broke down and the divorce arrived soon after. As Matt’s father left the house his money left with him, plunging the family in to near destitution. Matt sat in a bus shelter, tired and miserable, “I saw my dad driving past and I stepped out to wave at him, but he held his head straight like I wasn’t there.”

As Matt puts it, things got “gully” after the money left, an English colloquialism for ‘rough’ or ‘raw’.

Matt struggled to keep his stomach full, now having a single mother trying to support four children. He went hungry one too many times and found himself robbing the local corner store for some food- Matt had begun his descent into the criminal underworld. From robbing kids at school to other petty crime on the streets, Matt was doing everything he could to survive.

That was until a new ‘hustle’ came along, one that he couldn’t disclose but emphasised was outside of the drug world. “This new hustle let me get really nice money… It felt more of a gentleman’s thing, everybody involved is civil, we negotiate percentages, counted money… and everybody goes home.” The money started to roll in for Matt and he had only one plan: buy as much food as he could carry, “I wasn’t thinking big at all at that point… I went and ate until I was almost sick.” It was this hustle that saw him get kidnapped twice, once by his business partner and once by one of his oldest friends.

Nevertheless Matt was seeing his illegal efforts pay off, with money coming through and respect building throughout the community for him. No one approached him about the drug business

because it was widely known that he had nothing, and wanted nothing to do with it, “I just knew it wasn’t my thing. Drugs has a vibe around it.”

On one fateful day, Matt had a package to collect at a parcel-depot, upon receipt of the package Matt was descended upon by the police. “I was uncooperative with the officers and I kept shouting “no comment”. Matt was slapped in handcuffs and taken off to be charged with importing the kilo of cocaine that was contained within the package.

“there’s a video

of me online leaving the court after the verdict. i think that video says it all.”

Matt was apprehended in Birmingham, a melting pot of race and culture, a city that also contains a crown court- the court needed to try Matt’s case. However, Matt’s trial was moved to “white-as-snow” Leamington Spa and was given an all white jury. “I have to thank the British public… the British public aren’t racist like these people in the establishment, and I think they thought an all white jury would hang a n***er out to dry.”

A friend and producer, Ivan, contacted Matt during his trial, at the time unaware of Matt’s legal battle. He said it was time for them to start making a film together, and Matt hurried to put together a script of some kind.

Naturally, he chose to pen a script based on his life and the experiences he had been through. Before he knew it they were location scouting, auditioning and gathering a film crew to start shooting.

Matt’s trial came to a close after five days of battling in court, “In the case of Matthew Walters, we find the defendant…” Matt stood, waiting to hear the all white juries’ decision, one that would determine where he would be

spending the next ten years of his life. Not guilty. “There’s a video of me online leaving the court after the verdict. I think that video says it all.”

Matt completed the film while he was weathering his year and a half bail with his producer and film crew. After the dehumanising process Matt went through of being arrested, handcuffed, forced to squat while an officer checked for drugs up his ass, taking control of the film and putting some power back in his own hands gave him a renewed sense of humanity and self-respect.

Applying to the Cannes Film Festival, for most filmmakers is generally a carefully considered, strategic decision: For Matthew Walters it was just a case of “my producer and I have always talked about Cannes, so when we got the film done we just stuck with our original idea of submitting the film”.

When the film got accepted, Matt referred to it as his “and one”- a basketball term for taking a shot, in the middle of being fouled, and still scoring the point.

Matthew interviews all around the globe now, attempting to dissuade the younger generation from taking up a life in the drug trade; it’s a poisonous industry devoid of any future. “You aint got nothing to prove by selling or taking it. It doesn’t prove anything.

I was facing ten years in prison. There’s nothing cool about that.” The glorification of the drug world is only exacerbated by the constant and unwavering support from different sects of the entertainment industryMatthew urges the younger crew to read between the lines. “If selling drugs was all that, Jay Z, 50… they would all be selling drugs instead of rapping… If it’s the tough guys in the entertainment industry you’re looking to, ask yourself why they aint selling drugs instead of building legitimate careers.”

“Whatever it is you’re doing, do it legitimately… and contribute something positive to society.”

Earlier this year Matthew attended the premiere of his film at the Cannes Film Festival and is now working on his next film.

It is clear that the world is not done with Matthew yet - and Matthew is sure as hell not done with the world.

Written by Alastair Ingram Illustration by Brook Wells

COLOSOUL # 10 | 45

FEELING BOOKISH FINDING THE BOOKSTORE FOR YOU IN PERTH book stores have always had a small place in our hearts from the early days of picking out picture books to searching for the perfect cover from the selection of great classics. Yet in recent years we’ve seen fairly large chains collapse into the ground and now we’re left to ask, what’s left? here we compile a list of our favourite places in Perth to shop for our paper companions.

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BOOKS

The BoDHi Tree

on the hunt for a book, head down, have a macchiato and feel those Freo vibes resonate through your soul.

1/416-418 Oxford St Mt Hawthorn WA 6016

Written by Alastair Ingram

With the vision to “raise the consciousness and wellbeing of the community”, it is no wonder that The Bodhi Tree is more than just a unique and cosy book café. With relaxing music and soothing surroundings, those visiting this Mount Hawthorn establishment are charismatically transported into a world of tranquillity and peacefulness.

Stocking an extensive variety of hand-selected books that fall into the categories of spiritual, health and wellness, adult fiction and children’s books, this book café also boasts an array of sweet and savoury additive and preservative free foods, flavoursome fair trade and organic coffee as well as a satisfying range of healthy and freshly made juices and smoothies. It also serves up raw and vegan food and prides itself on being 90% vegetarian.

Aside from being earnestly welcoming, The Bodhi Tree offers an in–house writing coach for those wishing to enhance or maintain their writing skills, quarterly Q&A writing sessions, book clubs, live musicians and monthly movie screenings.

Donations to The Bodhi Tree’s tip jar goes towards the various charities they support, such as an orphanage in China and a nunnery in the Himalayas, so you know you’re contributing to a wider social and cultural cause.

The Bodhi Tree is open from 8-4pm Monday to Sunday.

For what’s on offer and further information about The Bodhi Tree’s commitment to social responsibility, check out their website at www.bodhitree.net.au Written by Brooke Jackson

New Edition 82 High Street, Fremantle Western Australia 6160 A building that once hoarded cash and dispersed loans now peddles contemporary tomes from some of the world’s greatest writers. The New Edition Bookstore is a cultural icon in the heart of Fremantle, sporting creaky old bookshelves, amber hard wood floors and well-walked Persian rugs. Shelves bursting with all kinds of fiction, faction and bite-sized philosophical novellas- digestible by even the littlest of minds. The addition of a café to the bow of the bookstore ensures there is a constant influx of bald baristas and pseudointelligent hipsters.

A beautiful array of architecture books lines the entry, which gradually transcends into photography, design, philosophy and recipe books. An innocent wanderer can spend hours exploring the rustic shelves, always searching for another elusive life-changing read.

No help is given unless asked and no bothersome salespeople hover nearby, waiting to descend. An inspector of these fine goods is left completely and utterly alone to navigate their way through the store’s literary labyrinth.

Children run between the overarching shelves yelping in excitement at the overwhelming thought of reading everything the store has to offer. Ok, possibly they’re yelping in frustration at being forced to stay in a bookstore hour upon hour while their parent steals a glance at the first 3 chapters of Fifty Shades of Grey.

Rest assured, this store is friendly to each and every wanderer that enters, big, small or otherwise. The atmosphere is mellow and offbeat, in perfect keeping with the feel of this quirky little town. Even if you’re not

Crow Books 1/900 Albany Hwy East Victoria Park 6101 From the same genius that brought Planet Books in Mount Lawley to our humble shores comes Crow Books, birthed from owner Alan’s beautiful ambition of opening up his own bookshop. Crow Books stocks a wide range of book-oriented genres, specialising in hard-to-source books.

If you are one to enjoy the odd book about cults, Suicide Girls or anything else somewhat offbeat from the usual track of literature and novels, Crow Books is definitely where you should be. Hidden away in East Victoria Park, the suburb known for its diversity and amazing bubble teas, Crow Books is definitely ‘off the beaten track’ both geographically and when it comes to their range of books.

The friendly staff always welcomes you into the beautifully furnished and decorated store with open arms – literally. Sometimes, you get hugs too. They are always willing to recommend a good read and you can feel free to plonk on one of their plush sofas in the store to peruse the hours away.

Boutique bookshops are definitely an up and coming phenomenon in Perth, especially since the hipsters have taken over the world and being different and uncool is the new cool. Likewise, reading books that no one has ever heard of is now cool. So if you are sick of reality, swing by Crow Books in East Victoria Park and allow yourself to fall into the abyss that is literary genius – you will not be disappointed.

Written by Vanessa Manivannen

Empire Toys 1/856 Hay St Perth, 6000 Empire has one of the best collections of comics and graphic novels that I’ve seen in Perth. With a whole wall of Marvel and DC you’d probably empty your bank account before you got around to reading everything that Empire had to offer. While they do stock your X-mens, Supermans, Spidermans and Batmans, they also have a wide range of graphic novels that have come to acclaim of late, my favourite of these being The Walking Dead series which Empire have a nice stash of.

Once you’ve stepped past the vast collection of graphic novels you’ve got figurines, clothing and even board games to peruse - they even had The Princess Bride playing in the store. All these little charms add to the overall aesthetic of Empire Toys and make it one of my favourite stores in the city.

Empire is definitely one of those places that is easily missed if you walk by too fast, but hopefully you’ll find your way to their store which is tucked into an alcove and up some stairs on Hay Street. Definitely go check this place out, you won’t be disappointed.

Written by Anthony Pyle Photography (New Edition) by Ben Wright

COLOSOUL # 10 | 47

MUSIC

RAMBLINGS, REMINISCING AND RAMBUNCTIOUSNESS AN INTERVIEW WITH LOCAL NATIVES

just before their show at the forum in melbourne, colosoul sat down with local natives’ taylor rice and matt frazier to chat about the oc, a share house of great significance and working with aaron dessner of the national fame.

Hey guys, how are you? This is your second time in Australia, yeah?

Taylor Rice: It is indeed, the last time was for the Laneway Festival!

I saw you guys at the Perth leg!

TR: Yeah, that festival was awesome! We have such fond memories of playing Laneway. Just the experience of going to Australia for the first time ever for any of us - it’s embedded in the book of favourite tours for sure.

You guys became a band through being friends at school?

TR: Me and Ryan (Hahn) and Kelcey (Ayer) all met when we were really young and were playing in bands in high school. And then we found Matt (Frazier) when we were still in college.

What genre were your high school bands?

TR: Well, the punk scene was really big then [laughs]. Our music was definitely not the same as it is now.

A lot of bands seem to start out in school as punk acts.

Matt Frazier: I guess that’s just what you’re into when you’re a kid; that’s what the big scenes are for kids that are really excited about music. You know, the kids who are always going to shows and getting excited because they got bloodied up or something.

Do you remember the first show you went to?

TR: I can’t remember the very first, but I remember one of the first was in Orange County where we all grew up. There was this big OC punk and hardcore scene, and there were a lot of shows in houses or abandoned warehouses that were sort of illegitimate, and also a lot of church basement shows.

MF: Yeah, similar for me. Friends of friends bands playing these crappy venues around town or at someone’s house. One of the earlier legitimate shows I went to was against my parents’ will. It was a school night and I wasn’t allowed to go out on school nights but I really wanted to go. It was at this awesome venue called The Glasshouse and Glassjaw and Poison the Well were playing.

TR: Oh wow! Dude that must have been insane!

MF: I was probably like 16. I lied to my mum and told her I was going to a friend’s house to do homework and study and I ended up going to the show. I never got caught [laughs]. Sorry Mum! TR: The first show that we played was actually how we met Kelcey. I was playing with Ryan and we had a show in my dad’s living room, and Kelcey was the drummer in the other band. It was the classic epitome of what you think a house party should be - the house was overflowing with people, there was a hole kicked in the wall, the cops came and shut it down. This was when I was 16 years old, so it was awesome [laughs].

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Speaking of houses, I read that Gorilla Manor is actually named after the house you were all living in together while recording the album?

TR: We had been a band for a really long time, and we had been going to college for a while, and the band had always been important, but we were only able to do it half of the time. So when we graduated we made this decision to really do this and got a house together and made the record. It was really a transformative time where our sound came together and where we came together as a band. We felt it kind of captured the energy of the place and what is was like all living together and all working together intensely on music.

“when you live

in a van with somebody for that long on the road, you realize it’s important to have a little bit of distance.”

all this technical difficulty and it kind of fell through and we were running out of time to do it. We were actually going to get kicked out, the shop owners were getting angry and were going to call the police so we really only had one shot to do it.

MF: What’s great about La Blogoteque is that it puts you on the spot and you really have to be spontaneous. I remember that there was this little girl who was kind of just watching, and at the end she was just singing the melody with us, which was a really cool moment.

I read that you guys self funded the first album, is that right?

TR: Yeah, everyone was scrambling for jobs.

We were doing graphic design work, selling knives, working in pizza kitchens, whatever we could find.

MF: This guy named Raymond Richards had a studio where we recorded a lot of the record, and then we co-produced Hummingbird with Aaron Dessner (The National), which was awesome. We just learnt so much from him; he’s been doing it for decades. His new album is amazing.

What happened to the house?

TR: We went on tour for two and a half years [laughs]. When we finally landed back on our feet we all lived separately but within about a mile of each other in Los Angeles. When you live in a van with somebody for that long on the road, you realize it’s important to have a little bit of distance [laughs].

Aaron seems like such a respected person; a lot of artists seem to collaborate with him. I saw them play on David Letterman and Sufjan Stevens was an unannounced backing vocal which I thought was awesome.

TR: Oh I love Sufjan. I caught him on his Illinoise tour in Barcelona, and relatively speaking it was probably the best concert of my life. Aaron and Sufjan are good friends, they live in the same neighbourhood and when we were recording at Aaron’s (place) Sufjan would come over, have a barbeque with us and just chill, which was really awesome.

MF: Aaron really is such a collaborator, he has such an arsenal of amazing musicians who he has worked with and he has this really awesome vibe.

I would assume your music was first noticed in the US, but your album was actually released in Europe and the UK first, which I found interesting.

TR: Yeah, it really started going in Europe first, and I think that was a result of playing the SXSW festival. Going into it we were doing absolutely everything by ourselves, we didn’t even have a manager or a booking agent. Our first show was like 50 people, and each show had more and more people. So I think it definitely helped us gain momentum overseas, and then the States came a little after that.

Finally, what would you rather fight, a horse-sized duck, or 20 duck-sized horses?

TR: That’s easy, I have my answer already.

MF: I would go the horse-sized duck.

TR: What, are you insane, a horse-sized duck? Is he angry?

Yes. MF: Actually, with 20 you could be overwhelmed, but I guess you could outrun them.

TR: I was thinking you could outrun the big one.

MF: I really like ducks in general, I think they are great. Especially the mallard.

I’m not sure if this was before or after that whole stage, but one of my favourite Take Away Shows on La Blogoteque was the one where you guys walked through that mall in Paris performing “Who Knows, Who Cares”.

TR: That was amazing to do. The original idea was to film in a different location but we had

Thanks guys.

Gorilla Manor and Hummingbird are out now via Mushroom.

Written by Nathanael Rice Image courtesy of the band.

MUSIC MUSIC

COLOSOUL # 10 | 49

THE ROAD TO END POVERTY PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURE : SHANE THAW

Perth photographer Shane Thaw never expected to find himself in his current profession. After continually being asked by friends and family to photograph weddings, events and portraits, Shane feels like he almost fell into the field of professional photography. He realised that he had the ability to capture and create memories that meant something to those people, which led to him to establish and run his own photography business, UC Photography. It was during the early days of his business that Shane came to realise that he didn’t want UC Photography to just be a job, or a business, or an income stream. He wanted to use his talents to increase awareness about a issue that he had become passionate about over the past few years – extreme poverty.

In March of this year, Shane was one of 1000 young people who took part in the Roadtrip to End Poverty, spending a week campaigning and raising awareness of extreme poverty before presenting these issues and concerns to federal MPs at Parliament House.

“i wanted to utilise the gift i knew i had, for a greater purpose, something larger than myself.”

Shane also annually participates in the Live Below the Line challenge run by the Oaktree Foundation, where participants survive on $2 a day for a week to get an idea of what it might be like to live in extreme poverty. This year was the fourth time Shane completed Live Below the Line, raising a record total of $14,151 for the foundation.

In January 2012, Shane travelled to Ethiopia to photograph and meet with people who actually lived below the extreme poverty line. One of the most moving stories he recounted was the story of a woman named Aisha, who begged him to take her nine year old daughter Saada back to Australia with him.

He described the experience as something he was “completely His work is not only captivating, but philanthropic, and his unprepared for.” passion for achieving greatness is truly admirable.

Written by Shane Thaw

52 | COLOSOUL # 10

AD

I S S UE # 1 0

AL T J c l ou d c on t r ol L O C AL NAT I V ES

THE ART OF CRATE DIGGIN With Oath & Silence

It is common knowledge that hip hop culture originated from the block parties that DJ Kool Herc used to throw, in which he mixed vinyl samples together while shouting his own rhymes to the crowd. While rapping, break dancing and graffiti can all trace their origins back to a time before hip hop, the production element of our culture is what brought everything together to make the biggest movement in music history.

Hip hop is a culture founded on tradition, as every new artist tries to make something new, using the teachings of those who came before them. This is probably why ‘crate digging’, the act of going to a record store and looking for vinyl records to sample, is still a huge part of modern hip hop culture.

Oath is a Perth DJ and fanatic crate digger, with a record collection that is “pushing nineteen crates” with each crate usually containing roughly eighty vinyl records. Oath uses old music to create hip hop instrumentals.

“I buy and produce music using old soul and jazz records.

I have a passion for listening to old music. You can’t really obtain that in a digital world, it’s very limitedbecause not everything has made it off vinyl onto the digital. It’s just the records and their smell, everything about it, I have to have records.”

“I’m pretty specific with what I use. I’m drum heavy, I like to have the drums in your face. I buy a lot of jazz, a lot of fusion. Most of the records I own are obscure ‘70s records, library records, which is music for film and television. I just sit there, make a coffee, maybe even watch some TV on mute, look at the pictures and just let the records play until I hear stuff. I write it down, the name of the record and what part I heard and just go from there.”

At one point, Oath had twice as many crates as he has now, but he gave some away to Mat Rafle, another local producer.

Oath said that the crate digging community in Perth is still relatively small but those within it are willing to share their

vinyl with other producers.

“I don’t know too many people in Western Australia that do go out and crate dig often. I have to say peace to Assembly Line. I haven’t known them long but when we do talk, it’s about records and we share different records.

You just have to know people that do it.”

Another member of this community is DJ Silence, who has worked with a number of Perth’s best emcees using his sample heavy instrumentals. Some of his standout records include Crosswinds by Billy Cobham, Adventures in Paradise

by Minnie Riperton, Self-Titled by Cymande, Maby Rare Earth, and Heads by Osibisa.

“I got into digging once I started getting into making beats.

I had a real appreciation for the beat makers that I listened to and the way that they could take samples and use them in their own way to create a new piece of music.This also led me to appreciating older music I had never heard before, not only for sampling but for my listening pleasure as well.”

Like Oath, Silence finds that records engage all of his senses, not just his hearing. He loves the “sound, the smell and the feeling when you drop that needle in anticipation of finding a dope sample!”

When asked about where a collector would go about obtaining their records, Oath claims that he gets his vinyl from “everywhere”.

“At six in the morning on Sundays I go down to the car boot sales. Record stores have their days when they’ll restock.

I’ll be hanging around like a vinyl fiend, standing out the front wondering when they’ll load the shelf again. I went to Adelaide for a massive record fair, this guy, Oz Vinyljunkie who had a hundred crates, you’d just look in them and say ‘woah, I need a mortgage or some shit to buy this stuff!’”

Similarly, Silence looks in a wide variety of places for his vinyl.

NG “I try to go digging as often as I can, or when I have money.

Places I like to go are Noise Pollution on James St, Dada Records, a few other stores, record fairs and the odd Op Shop.”

While sampling still has its fierce loyalists, there has definitely been a shift towards using more live instruments in hip hop songs. One of the greatest hip hop producers of all time, RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, has said that sampling allows some producers to get by without an understanding of musical theory.

DJ Silence, however, argues that sampling is still relevant to modern hip hop. He also thinks it will remain a vital part of the culture.

“I think it’s important in modern hip hop because it is one of the foundations of the genre. Some may say it’s not important, but it all comes down to theindividual and how they want to make their music. I think it will continue and never end. Once you start you never stop, and I think it will stay a big part of hip hop and beat making for years to come!”

The world we live in is becoming more and more digitised every day and with MP3s being available to anybody with access to the Internet, it would be fair to think that vinyl has become an outdated piece of technology that will eventually fade into obscurity. In addition, with more and more producers having access to live instruments and drum machines, many argue that the use of sampling in hip hop has become a dying art. However, with the passion and enjoyment expressed by producers such as Oath & Silence, hopefully this won’t be the case.

Words by Ciaran Johns Design by Brook Wells Photography by David McLoughlin

“The act of going to a record store and looking for vinyl records to sample is still a huge part of modern hip hop culture.”

DONALD KRUNK

“... there are not many places as beautiful as here.

From the suburbs to the coastline, inspiration is everywhere if you can understand where to find it.”

34

An Interview with Donald Krunk What do you want your producer name to mean?

For us it started off as a drunken conversation that turned into a funny alias that we were both happy with, mainly for the way that trap made us feel when we heard it/made it. So I guess we want Donald Krunk to replicate the same feelings of enjoyment but also keeping it g’d up!

Moment you wanted to become a producer?

Luke: It has always been an interest ever since I was playing in bands at a young age.

The passion became a reality when I joined forces with Ol. The chemistry in our live sets and in the studio always keep things new and enjoyable for me.

Ol: I think the word producer is misused.

The moment I wanted to be a beat maker came from rapping, I was sick of searching or waiting for good beats to rap over, so I started learning to make them myself, then I realised I can’t rap over the beats I make until they are like a year old.. [Laughs] just can’t vibe on them till I’ve forgotten about them as a beat maker and come back to them as a rapper.

What is your favourite piece of equipment?

L: The turntable! I don’t think I would be where I am without that piece of equipment.

We use it in almost everything we do – from scratching & mixing in our sets to sampling

records in the lab. If a club doesn’t provide a turntable I will always bring my own. Nothing feels more natural than using it.

O: My favourite piece of equipment was my MPC 3000, but I ended up selling it, because it was too impractical running it with my computer side of things. When I’m loaded I will re-purchase one with the right firmware for computer use.

What location provides you inspiration?

L: I take inspiration from wherever I can. I have been pretty lucky to live here in Perth my whole life, and there are not many places as beautiful as here. From the suburbs to the coastline, inspiration is everywhere if you can understand where to find it.

O: Um there is none really in particular for me; I think my inspiration comes more from moments than locations. I usually make beats late at night for some reason, or it will come with like a wave of emotion or something sparked the need to go and get that beat out.

Who is your favourite producer of all time?

L: I have never really locked myself down in one genre of listening, and I find that there are so many sounds and techniques from different producers and different genres that inspire me to make music and to further my knowledge all the time. I have a large list of favourites but one producer that never lets me down is J Dilla (RIP). He would have to be the best that ever did it.

O: I find that a seriously hard question to answer, I would immediately want to say J Dilla, based on the amount of beats of his that I have listened to that touched my heart and made my hairs on my neck stand up, but there are many other producers I love that have that ability in their own way.

Carmack is someone current who I respect a lot; he has his place that he takes you to each time you listen. Many producers seek

this, but it seems the majority of his beats have that almost immediately.

Who is your favourite local producer?

L: There is a lot of talent in Perth just waiting to burst. Obviously the biggest at the moment is Ta-Ku and he has worked his ass off to get where he is and that is super inspiring. We are pretty lucky to be so connected in Perth with dudes who are all doing their thang, but for now I will answer with Zeke (Labsix) based on what I have heard from his current WIPs – that dude is filled to the brim with talent in producing and of course his scratching.

O: Reggie would have to be one of my favourites, not because he is Ta-Ku or even because I like all of his beats, cause I don’t haha I love a lot of his beats, but more than anything he is a good person and has been an inspiration to me since I started making beats. While I was in high school I was going to parties and getting drunk, smoking weed, sleeping with ratchets “trying to be high school cool”, but Reggie would always pass up the parties. I never understood why? But then I realised he was always at home making beats, always! He had the clarity and perspective to find something he loves truly and pursue it above all else. I will always remember and admire him for that. Respect Reginaldo!

Which up and comer should we be looking at?

L: As I mentioned before, there are so many people producing in Perth and everyone seems to be really finding their own sounds, which is a great thing for the music scene here and I am always striving to keep my ears tuned to what is happening here. I would have to go with a friend of ours who goes by the alias ‘Loston’… he only dropped his first tracks a week or so ago, but that Skylines tune goes hard in the paint.

O: I’d say there are quite a few names actually, but I think I’ll let them make their own noise.

What is the best beat you worked on?

L: We have a lot of colabs coming up with some awesome artists from around the globe and unfortunately cannot give too much away at this time. But so far they have blown my mind in what can be done with hip hop/trap/bass music and they would have to be some of the best music I have worked on yet.

O: I find that kind of hard to answer also. I couldn’t say I’ve worked on a best beat.

Some have been fun, some have been a bitch, some have been more successfully received than others. I liked making Esta Loca because it was the first beat we made and we had no expectations in our mind, was just something that we were just playing with. I like that tune more and more the older it gets too haha

What was the best beat you’ve heard?

O: That’s really really hard to answer, I’ve listened to X amount of beats in my life, there could be no definitive best, for me they relate to my moods, but I could tell you that Pete Rock, Hi Tek and J Dilla would have some beats in my list of bests of all time.

L: I would answer the same as Ol. I have heard X amount of beats in my life, and I often find that on a daily basis I fall in love with a new song. J Dilla ‘Won’t Do’ or anything of Donuts is a favourite of mine and is on repeat a lot in my house. There are also dudes like Vanilla and Evil Needle that never let me down. As for trap beats, everything starts to sound the same after a while, so it is always a breath of fresh air to hear something simplistic and I tend to go to those sounds/producers when I need some inspiration. Hucci, XXYYXX, Jam City etc.

Interview by David Coffey Photography by Daniel Craig Design by Meng Jones

35

Interview with Sid Pattni What do you want your producer name to mean?

Unfortunately I haven’t got a cool producer name like a lot of other people. I just went with my name because I figured that way it would be easier for my mum to keep track of what I’m up to.

Moment you wanted to become a producer?

I kind of got in to the whole production thing by accident.

I played drums for ten years and then studied piano at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts for another few years. I spent a lot of time practicing piano and started mucking around with production purely as a hobby outside of piano playing. One year on and I somehow find myself signed to the same management as Kimbra, working on a great label and producing tracks for people I would have only dreamed of working with in my lifetime. It’s scary how things work out sometimes.

What is your favourite piece of equipment?

Not really huge on equipment. I figure good music will shine through whether you have a $10,000 compressor or the stock one you get with your music software. The equipment just helps facilitate or enhance an idea.

SID PATTN

What location provides you inspiration?

My iTunes library.

Who is your favourite producer of all time?

That’s one of those questions that’s too hard to answer because it’s ever changing. I heard this producer on Soundcloud last night that only had like 5 followers and all his beats blew me away. Last night I’d say he was my favourite producer of all time. Tomorrow it will probably be Dilla again. Ha!

Who is your favourite local producer?

I just recently got on to Sable’s stuff and was really vibing on it. The dude has a great sound.

Which up and comer should we be looking at?

Tyler Touché. The kid is still in high school but is churning out a sound that is so mature and beyond his years, it’s scary.

What is the best beat you worked on?

I don’t really have one beat that stands out above the rest.

Generally, if I like listening to a beat as much as I enjoy making it then I’m content. It’s a rare thing.

What was the best beat you heard?

Knxwledge’s track ‘Hai’, purely because of its timing in my life. When I first heard his stuff I was taken aback by how unique it was. His sound was unlike anything I’d heard before and it became the sole reason I got in to production. All I did in my first six months of production was transcribe Knxwledge beats. I owe that beat and that man a lot.

Interview by David Coffey Design by Brook Wells Photography by Daniel Craig

“I li soaking weath the

NI

ike just g up the her and vibes.”

MAT RAFLE

Interview with Matt Rafle What do you want your producer name to mean?

Rafle was my old nickname name when I was younger.

It was something that I just stuck with and I continued to use when making beats.

Moment you wanted to become a producer?

When I first got into music at a young age, my mother got me an acoustic guitar so I was playing that and learning the guitar. I was kind of making my own music and was always fascinated with it. It was only when I moved to Melbourne in 2004/2005 is when I started to mess around with beats using ‘Reason ‘. My housemate at the time was making his own stuff and I was kind of put onto it that way, using non-sample based music using sounds and a midi keyboard. After moving back to Perth in 2008, my brother and I started to build a little studio setup. That’s when I started sampling as well as buying records to craft sample based beats.

2011 was when I actually started putting out beats.

What is your favourite piece of equipment Hands down, has to be Maschine. Just workflow wise I find it great to work with and I’ve been using it since 09.

What location provides you inspiration?

Apart from the studio of course it would have to be the beach. I like just soaking up the weather and the vibes.

Who is your favourite producer of all time?

Hip hop wise it has to be Stoupe, formally of Jedi Mind Tricks, I’m a big fan of his work. He’s branched out when he left Jedi Mind Tricks, doing various projects such as Dutch. Dr Dre runs a close second, he has a different sound to Stoupe but I love it just the same.

Who is your favourite local producer?

For Perth, it would have to be Dazastah of Downsyde.

If we are talking Australia wide it has to be M-phazes as he has been killing it for some time. Also, Wik’ s production on Zero by Maundz was great, that album was one of my favourites of last year.

Which up and comer should we be looking at?

Lately I’ve been feeling Must’s beats, I’m liking his sound. Also my actual younger brother Mad Muther Beats is someone to look out for. I’m mad inspired by his stuff and that’s not being biased (laughs).

What is the best beat you worked on?

It’s hard to separate the beats I have worked on, as they all have they’re place. I am enjoying a lot of the stuff I’ve made recently that I have sent off to emcees.

But the beat I did for Everyday from Adelaide was special though, seeing my name printed on a 9 inch vinyl for the production credits was awesome. That’s the first beat I’ve got onto vinyl so that’s dope , hopfeully I got a lot more to come.

What was the best beat you heard?

Another tricky question. All the Jedi Mind Tricks stuff under Stoupe has been solid, a lot Premier’s stuff has always been classic, I’m a big fan of a lot of Dr Dre’s beats also. Too hard to pick just one.

Interview by David Coffey Design by Brook Wells Photography by Daniel Craig

Interview with CHU What do you want your producer name to mean?

I’m not really sure what I want it to mean. But I guess I want people to see ‘Chu.’ As a producer who incorporates and draws influence from hip-hop, soul, jazz and EDM. I guess I have a pretty strong pop influence as well. Gotta love that new school pop sound.

Moment you wanted to become a producer?

I’m not entirely sure of the moment I decided that producing tunes was what I wanted to do.

But I do remember the days when my buddies and I used to hang out on a Friday night and make beats cutting up records and then rap over them with an SM58 set up in our pantry. I guess that was the period of my life that sort of changed my attitude towards music production.

Never really looked back since.

What is your favorite piece of equipment?

So many to choose from but I think I’d have to go with my Akai APC40. Kind of a boring choice, but its just such a versatile piece of gear.

For DJ use or for effects, mixing purposes or just getting freaky with different clip ideas in Ableton. Such a fun piece of gear that can be used in so many different ways. It still surprises me all the time.

Who is your favorite local producer?

That’s actually a hard question because Perth has an incredible scene. Lots of epic and forward thinking producers. I don’t think I could narrow it too one. I’d have to go with 3. They would be Ta-Ku, Sable and my good buddies Donald Krunk. Because they are all massive inspirations too me. (and I possibly use some/ alot of their tunes as reference tracks =0 haha)

Which up and comer should we be looking at?

Everyone in Australia should be looking out for my buddy Sable. Young fella from Perth who is just ridiculously talented. Not to mention a great guy too. He released a track called ‘Limit Break’ a few weeks ago that’s been getting smashed all over the web and his overall mix on the track is just …. Wow. Bonkers. There’s this catchy whistle that runs through the track that I haven’t been able to get out of my head since I heard it. So vibey and uplifting!! Check the dude out. Great Composer, Producer and DJ.

What is the best beat you worked on?

Uh …. The beat I most enjoyed working on was probably a Tyrese remix which the 1st track on my Debut EP Titled ‘Holidae Holidae’.

Its just catchy. Super 90’s RnB influence with heavy bass. I’d have to say I don’t think I’ve ever grooved out to one of my own tunes as much as I did to that remix.

CHU

Who is your favorite producer of all time?

Tough one. But I’d have to go with Dilla. Just timeless. He’s like the Michael Jackson of instrumental beats. So much vibe and emotion in all of his music. His beats make me forget what’s happening around me. I kind of fade away a little bit. Even my Mum gets down to Jay-Dee. Haha.

K P

What is the best beat you heard?

This is probably the hardest question you could ever ask a beat-maker / Producer / Music fan. I guess I’d have to go with a Dilla track.

Probably ‘Bye.’ From the end of Donuts. It’s just. Mmmmm. So much love and emotion.

It’s a strong track. Makes me smile and sway however I’m feeling. There’s real love in that track. If you haven’t heard it. Make sure you hear it soon. I know that will be one I’ll listen to for the rest of my days.

Interview by David Coffey Design by Brook Wells Photography by Daniel Craig

“Everyone in Australia sho be looking ou my buddy Sab

KIT POP

n ould ut for ble.”

Interview with KIT POP

What do you want your producer name to mean?

Nothing other than a name I guess. I never really put much thought into it to begin with, just saw it on a lollipop toy and thought it had a nice ring to it and one syllable words made it easy.

Moment you wanted to become a producer?

No real moment but my brother was a pivotal person in training my ears and giving me tastes in more abstract and experimental electronic music, kind of kept me away from crap music from a young age. So I guess from that influence and seeing more and more live shows made me want to create music for myself

What is your favourite piece of equipment?

My Korg MS2000 because it was the first keyboard I bought as a kid and is still a go to sound piece of hardware if I need it.

What location provides you inspiration?

Outdoors is always good to clear the head, being stuck in a studio can sometimes give you cabin fever so clearing the mind is always good by getting outside. But within the house my downstairs simple set up lets me listen to a lot of records and relax.

Who is your favourite producer of all time?

Richard D. James because of his output back in the day and the boundaries he pushed. He never really cared about much else other than his craft.

Who is your favourite local producer?

Ta-ku, The man has always continued to impress me since we met years ago. His sound has always progressed and has now made a name for himself over many genres. It’s been pretty awesome watching him grow over the years and building with him. Naik should also get a mention, his technical ability and ear for music is phenomenal.

Which up and comer should we be looking at?

Recently Sable has been grabbing my ears with his future sounds and also Leon Osborn has been constantly putting up quality material.

What is the best beat you worked on?

Some of my more recent remixes for Wave Racer and Cosmo’s Midnight have been fun. I enjoy making music for rap artists when asked, The latest beat on Q’s LP is something I’m excited about and hopefully the MOB drop as well. Working a on a track years ago with Kid Daytona and Rakaa (Dilated Peoples) was a good introduction to actually working with peers.

What was the best beat you heard?

Mythsysizer by J Dilla, I could listen to that looped all day, the drums are simple and punchy and that piano sample is perfect. I’ve yet to figure out where that’s from so if anyone knows hit me on twitter @kitpop. Thankyou.

Interview by David Coffey Design by Brook Wells Photography by Daniel Craig

ROME Tell me a bit about yourselves

Rhys Evans: Co-founder of Rome Apparel, I've done a lot of travelling. I have a huge interest in street wear, I've seen it all around the world so I want[ed] take some it back to Perth and start something here for us.

S: The last four months [but] especially the last three months, it's kicked off. We got into a store over in Queensland [and] couple of stores here.

Shannon Carter: Pretty much the same thing but I haven't travelled so much. I wanted clothes [and] you know what you want but they’re never there.

R: We thought for a company it’s a bit harder to get [t-shirts] off the ground so we did hats. 5 panels are really big at the moment, so that's something we really wanted to do. It was hard to source out a hat manufacturer but in December we found one in New Zealand.

And there is a third guy, Luke?

R: Yeah he's in China at the moment.

S: He'll be at Everest today, he sends his apologies.

R: Yeah he's a bit jealous, that it’s our first interview and he’s not here.

So tell me how did you come up with the concept of Rome?

R: Shannon [and I] tried to get [a brand] going about three years ago, but it didn't go anywhere. We were travelling, [Shannon] was stuck at home and there was six of us doing it and it was too many people. A year later we talked about starting [another label and] we came up with a few names. Luke, who wasn't original a part of it but has a business background, jumped on the bandwagon [and] it went from there.

We just came up with Rome one day and everyone liked the sound of it. It was nice and simple, four letters. It wasn't until I got back from Europe in October [last year] that we really started designing, we got a couple of manufacturers under our belt, then January this year we started getting our stock back [and] made our website.

What is your creative process?

S: For our t-shirts we draw up a heap of rough designs. Luke is a jeweller so he's artistic [so] we give him a rough sketch then he plays with it and comes back and we pick out a couple [designs].

Where and how do you make your products?

S: [We] outsource our hats / beanies, all the intricate sewing, to New Zealand.

R: New Zealand is one of our main manufactures. Our t-shirts get done in Perth. We did have a look at buying bulk at an international printer but we weighed up the options and we rather have the quality.

What are some brands that you admire?

R: We've been buying street wear for years and when I go travelling [I] always looking in stores. The biggest I love and it’s probably the biggest in the industry is Supreme. Supreme are the bench mark. Other companies like Diamond Supply and HUF [I’ve] always collected their stuff [and] they're probably our biggest inspirations. Their stuff is simple but bold, which is what we like. Of the Perth ones, Butter Goods, we draw inspiration from them and we wear their clothes.

What is it that you want to achieve with your label?

S: I want to retire. I work FIFO so it's pretty shit [but] it pays the bills. It would be nice to sit around in a nice office, just designing, making money, and being able to pay the bills off Rome. Even just to get into a shop and then make enough to have our own shop would be awesome.

So the end goal would be to have your own store?

R: Yeah I think so, when we started I don't think we knew what we wanted. It started as a hobby but it’s really grown and now it's starting to go somewhere you want to achieve more out of it and, to get small results is big results for us. Even this interview is cool for us, we never thought we'd come this far and it has been a short amount of time.

What do you think of the recent influx of street wear labels, both internationally, nationally & locally?

S: It's a good thing especially for Perth. [It’ll be] a lot harder for us now but we’ll pull through.

R: Street wear is getting massive. [A] couple years ago there was only the major brands that everyone's has heard of, but no one thought they could do it themselves. In the past few years, I've seen it grow hugely. In Perth there's been maybe 10 street wear labels that I know of and it's hard for competition but it’s good for us. It makes you better because it’s not just competition, it makes the industry bigger at the same time.

Why do you think there are a lot of people are starting their own labels?

R: Shannon said it before, they want to see a t-shirt that they want, and they want something that hasn't been done before.

S: I think they want something fresh and especially with all the street wear brands they are all fairly similar, but different in their own ways, so something that you want and that other people want too.

Due to the high number of labels to compete

with in the international, nation & local/state markets, do you think Rome and or other labels, have a chance at being successful?

S: If we keep pushing it, yes.

R: If we do something different to the rest. At the moment it's hard to do anything to different because if we do something too different, we might ruin it. If we open up our audience to do something different, but at this stage we don't have that audience.

As styles change will your brand evolve?

S: It's hard to say but we will evolve. Everything evolves, but whether we get away from 5 panels [I] don't know. We’ll definitely stay with headwear, we might go top hats, they might come back in [laughs].

R: I think we'll stay with what we started with, stick with our roots and when something cool does pop up we might do it, until we're big enough to start our own trends.

S: Then we can start our own band wagon [laughs].

Interview by Kylie de Vos Images courtesy of Rome Apparel

“They want to see a t-shirt that they want, and they want something that hasn’t been done before.”

A F I decided to go to the Carbon Festival in Melbourne during March last year at the last minute. I noticed there was a list of very cool guest speakers from around the world who would giving notes on street culture worldwide, as well as talking about what got them to where they are now. As a business owner sometimes you need some inspiration and who else better to be inspired by.

Double Studio. What a cool dude, that’s all I can say.

I had the opportunity to meet Martha Cooper, a graffiti art photographer from the early 70’s. She is about 70 years old now but has some of the most brilliant pics of graffiti art photography. She spoke about finding graffiti in the streets and at first not really connecting with it, although she found it interesting; it wasn’t until she had the opportunity to meet the kids who were doing it. Martha had no idea about the meaning or concept and for a while the kids used to think that she and Henry Chalfant- another graffiti art photography and documentary maker who was around at the same time - were undercover cops trying to secretly take pics of them, until they finally met them one day. After seeing some of their photos, the kids took them in whole heartedly into their underground world. I was blown away by some of the footage they showed. If Martha or Henry didn’t take that footage we would have no idea of the scene as we know it today.

If anyone knows about hard work it’s this guy. He started out at 13 years old and like anyone who is passionate enough about what it is they want to achieve in life, they know the hard yards you have to play to accomplish your goals. Ronnie climbed up that ladder until he made it to where he wanted to be. He had a good eye for style when it came to sneaker design and it wasn’t long before his talent was snatched up. He has a lot of respect for the brands he’s worked with since he’s grown up and worked alongside them.

I have a lot of respect for him, since he persevered to achieve his goals and now wants to encourage and see others do the same.

Stussy was THE label to wear in 90’s so when I spotted Shawn Stussy I was like “shit.” I talked to him to doing some crazy photo booth shoot and had a couple of beers too. That guy was rocking around the clock when Lords of Dog Town was all happening. Now, Shawn is shaping and designing surf boards and running S/

I was trying to locate the Ronnie Fieg, the sneaker design champ, and finally found him. The guy is a legend with up to 300 collaborations working with brands such as ASICS, New Balance and Nike, the list is endless.

I couldn’t believe how down to earth and easy to chat to he was.

“I think it’s important to involve today’s youth in business in general because they are very unaware of what it takes to get from point A to point B and because of social media most think it’s a breeze because all they see is the finished product. It’s things like this, Carbon, where the process is spoken about and that’s really important.

When I was younger I didn’t have anybody to really explain how things were supposed to be done. I had to run on my own, but festivals like this one are

HANGING OU

AT CARBON FESTIVAL “As a business owner sometimes you need some inspiration and who better to be inspired by.”

UT

information based and they are the type of things I am interested in. I think it’s very important for the youth to continue to grow and get involved because this industry is really based on the younger generation to keep things going. That’s what I’m interested in the most, to speak to the kids and even people my own age to be inspired to get involved and to want to do things on their own and achieve their goals.”

When I asked Ronnie about how he felt about his social responsibility, he just told me that Kith his street wear brand is made in America. Although he’s not against brands being made elsewhere, he doesn’t have an input to say where they get their sneakers made. He believes everyone needs support whether in China or America.

Carbon Festival bought together the who’s who of street culture in one space in Australia for a weekend, giving opportunity for young people to be able to meet them and listen to some of the most inspiring speakers.

With others such as Simon ‘Woody’ Wood from Sneaker Freaker Magazine, graffiti artist Dabs and Myla and Mark Drew and Asian-American food personality Eddie Huang, why would I want to be hanging anywhere else. Thanks to Andrew Montell, the founder of Acclaim Magazine, for putting together this freaking rad event. See you next year. Cheers.

Words by Tricia Ray Design by Brook Wells Images courtesy of Tricia Ray

Ol wears: Denim Button Up Shirt & Sly Guild Knitted Crew courtesy of StreetX. Dickies Chinos courtesy of Skulls & Hearts. ROME Apparel Printed Cap courtesy of Common Ground.

Wallah wears: ROME Apparel Logo Beanie & ROME Apparel Crew Neck Sweat courtesy of Common Ground.

Ol wears: Atticus Crew Neck Sweat & Dickies Chinos courtesy of Skulls & Hearts. ROME Apparel Printed Cap courtesy of Common Ground.

Wallah wears: Deadline Hooded Sweat courtesy of StreetX. ROME Apparel Logo Beanie courtesy of Common Ground.

Wallah wears: reversible Zip Thru Vest courtesy of StreetX. ‘LA’ Tee & Rebel 8 Cap, courtesy of Skulls & Hearts.

Ol wears: Sly Guild Camo Shirt courtesy of StreetX

TAKING IT BACK Photographer : Daniel Craig Fashion Director/Producer: Miz Marty McFly Assistant Director/Editor: Kylie De Vos Models: Ol Wright & Wallah Huia

Special Thanks to Len Bones & Dumbbaby at ‘The Ol’ Pirate Den’

BRAD MORFETT A Visual Essay “I felt there was a lack in the market of street wear brands that took Perth seriously, it was like fuck Perth, let’s move to Melbourne.”

“Inspiration can come from a variety of different places.”

“I think people take themselves too seriously with street wear, you’re just making t-shirts, it’s one of the cool things not to take is super serious and kind of makes you relatable too.”

“I think creative can be hard to judge, like if you make something someone else’s made your always taking expression so it’s something hard to pin down.”

T

OF LPC

“I do all the designing [and] marketing. It’s purely me on paper but that’s not to say there are 100 people who go out of their way every day to help me.”

“It’s a collective effort but I’m lucky enough to get all the credit.”

“It’s all about context.”

“Exclusivity is something that will always be valuable but I don’t think there’s a place in today’s climate unless you’re a huge brand.”

“I think Perth has matured to a point where people are going to want to do [their own labels].”

Interview by Kylie de Vos Photography by Daniel Craig Design by Lilian Yeow

“It’s a collective effort but I’m lucky enough to get all the credit.”

D “...when you’re telling the truth, people respond to the truth, and when you talk shit people can see it miles away and they don’t care.”

DVS H

ip hop is an odd beast. For a genre which prides itself on the spoken word, a genre which tirelessly lays claim to ‘poetic prowess’ whilst rarely venturing past rudimentary literary technique, it is remarkable how often the bizarrely similar world of Spoken Word Poetry is overlooked. The art of storytelling is as inherent in hip hop as in poetry. The two mediums aren’t such strange bedfellows after all.

An artist who is no stranger to the menage a trois of hip hop, poetry and filmmaking is David Vincent Smith (or DVS), a Perth native and Community Records collaborator who has been telling his stories around the traps for some time now. When asked what he does, he reasons “emcee, spoken word artist, filmmaker, and pretty much willing to do anything as a means of avoiding reality… Storyteller!

That’s my name ‘storyteller’”. Initially inducted into hip hop through his older sister’s discarded Wu-Tang Forever disc and early beginnings as a B-Boy, DVS soon found the art of freestyling and with this an acknowledgment of the freedom of spoken word.

“Poetry has always interested me in that you weren’t confined to 16 bars, or beat timing, or multis, you could just say what you wanted and how you wanted. Sometimes I just wanted to say something, or just stop talking and say one word, and it’s a lot harder to do it over a conventional boom bap beat.”

The mellow nostalgia of our conversation soon turns to scathing critique, when asked of the importance of lyricism in hip hop: “Well, if you’re a rapper, lyrics are what you’ve got. Obviously people can argue and say ‘stage performance’ – and that’s all well and true – but if I can’t see you, and all I’ve got are headphones, what matters to me is what you’re telling me, and why do I care? It’s all about having something to say, and having something to say comes from caring about something. So what’s the importance of lyricism within hip hop? Well it’s kind of everything. If you look at commercial hip hop, where not a lot is being said and realistically anyone could do that – they’re sort of just trained monkeys. And if the value of the lyrics isn’t important, then the value of the human being isn’t important.”

In comparing the hip hop and spoken word realms, this raw intimacy remains of constant importance. “There’s different expectations and different audiences for spoken word versus hip hop. In spoken word you can pretty much do whatever the hell you want – I mean you can do that in hip hop but you can’t just perform 30 minutes with no beat. At a spoken word show two minutes of the show could be a person rolling on the floor screaming. Spoken word brings validity in terms of lyricism, in terms of how you’re free from the conventions and the flow of hip hop. You’re naked on stage with your words; you’re presenting your words and you can’t hide behind anything, so there is this intimacy in spoken word that is not necessarily always there in a hip hop show.”

The Slam Poetry contests (spoken word’s answer to competitive rap battles) have taught DVS a lot about writing, and himself in the process: “I entered when I was younger and tried my best rap lyrics which went over everyone’s heads. Then I wrote this really authentic, personal poem, about masculinity and my father… I won the State Poetry Slam. That taught me quickly that when you’re telling the truth, people respond to the truth, and when you talk shit people can see it miles away and they don’t care.”

When asked of the universals in writing between film, hip hop and spoken word, DVS adds: “it is all storytelling, just different mediums.

The best stories are the ones where you have a burning passion or desire to say something. It’s when you’re contriving something that it’s going to have the least amount of impact. So whether it’s film, hip hop or poetry I really struggle if it’s something where I can’t find a relationship with, or can’t find the heart of the project.

I find poetry the easiest to get to the heart of it – there’s almost no boundaries so I can define where it goes.”

Where many are challenged by writer’s block, DVS observes quite the contrary. “One of the obstacles in writing is my head – I have a noisy brain… [Imagine] walking into JB Hi-Fi and turning every TV on to a different channel – that’s happening in my head 24 hours a day. There’s so much different shit coming into my head, it’s just a matter of focus. So rewriting and editing are as important as writing itself. The craft of removing irrelevant words and getting to the source of what you’re trying to say.”

So what’s next? An album due in spring - a ‘half hip hop, half spoken word production show case’. But, there’s more: “In August we’ve got the West Australian Poetry Festival, I’m doing a collaboration with The Anti-Poet for his show, running some workshops and I’m performing on the opening night. I’m also editing my latest film – a culmination of three years’ work; I’m studying in Hollywood under a directing tutor who taught some of the world’s best directors; then to New York to shoot some music videos. I’m writing a spoken word chap book with Splodge – we’ll get drunk one night and name it after the bottle of wine we drink; and a book with The Anti-Poet that we wrote ages ago. Keep going round to meet people and create art, as wanky as that sounds, that’s kind of where the joy is.

Meeting people who have something to say and who really believe in it.”

Since conducting this interview, DVS was nominated for Young Filmmaker of the Year at the 25th Annual WA Screen Awards.

Keep an ear out, expect big things.

Words by Ollie Read Photography by Daniel Cr aig Des ign by Meng Jones

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I N T E R V I E W

Let’s start at the beginning, inspired Let’s start atwhat the beginning, you to startwhat a street wear label? inspired you to start a

Growing up in the skate-scene I always loved brands street wear label? like chocolate, toy machine, DGK, hook ups etc.

Growing up in the skate scene I always Stopped through HAL one day, rocking a 10deep tee loved brands like Chocolate, Toy Machine, straight from the states!!!! I was only in the store for DGK, Hook Ups etc. Stopped through 10 minutes before someone walked in rocking that Highs and Lows one day, rocking a 10deep same tee!!!!! I grabbed my girl and proceeded to walk tee straight from the States! I was only in straight out of the store and peaced that tee for ever! the store for 10 minutes before someone Actually I think iv still got it stashed away somewhere. walked in rocking that same tee! I grabbed That day I started Dime. my girl and proceeded to walk straight out of the store and peaced that tee forever!

How did you come up I’ve with the Actually I think still gotconcept it stashed away of Dime? somewhere. That day, I started Dime.

The idea of a brand to be pushed through word of mouth, and by the rule of ‘’Quality over Quantity’’.

How did you come up with the Never to sell out the brand and to keep it limited to of Dime?

24 pieces perconcept design/colour-way.

The idea of a brand to be pushed through word of mouth, and by the rule of ‘’Quality over Quantity’’.

Never to sell out the brand What is your creative process? to have keepa creative it limited to 24 pieces per To be honestand I don't process it really design/colour-way. just comes to me when I'm out doing what I do. I usually have random thoughts just come into my is your process? head, so I justWhat take notes on my creative phone and sketch honest, don’t have a creative ideas. Also a To lot isbe visual things II see so I always process it really carry a compact SLR with me. just comes to me when I’m out doing what I do. I usually have random thoughts just come into my head, so I just

08

W I T H

take notes ondo my phone sketch ideas.

Where / how you makeand your products?

Also lotproducts is visual at things I see soare I always carry All ofamy the moment hand-finished aincompact with from me. all parts of the world. I Perth, butSLR supplied am currently working on a cut-sew line, but that is still early in/thehow works.do you make your Where Started screen-printing early 2007 to gain some products? knowledge on pre-press and print techniques. I All of my products at the moment are handlearned to finished in Perth, but supplied from all parts develop my products to a high print quality, using of the world. I am currently working on a cutthe best methods. Now its down to cut & sew, and sew line, but that is still early in the works. fabrics.

Started screen-printing early 2007 to gain some knowledge on pre-press and print What are some brands that you techniques.

I learned to develop my admire? products Zoologie of quality, Melbourne arethe making to a high out print using bestsome methods. really its nicedown products all hand-made Melbourne Now to cut & sew, and in fabrics. with some really nice fabrics. For the Homies are always killing it, and brands like Supreme, Norse What are& some that Projects. Born Raised dobrands some pretty fly shityou at admire? the moment too... But things are always Zoologie of Melbourne making changing upout and theres always new are people some really products all Exciting hand-made bringing goodnice things to the table. thingsin Melbourne to come.. with some really nice fabrics. For the Homies are always killing it, and brands like Supreme, Norse Projects. Born & Raised do some pretty fly shit at the moment too.

But things are always changing up and there’s always new people bringing good things to the table. Exciting things to come..

A S T O N

“I “I think think people a starting their ow brands thinking looks e easy.”

V A N

E L D I K

If you brand is of unique and to is itwant that to you wantwith to achieve Due What is What it that you achieve tomake the sure highyour number labels is a high quality garment, the only thing your label? with your label? compete you withback in the international, nation is your commitment to I want theIlabel be atlabel a point workwhere with I can & holding wanttothe to where be at Iacan point local/state markets, doit you think IDIME push the brand and get out there. have a small select cut & team sew line workteam withtoacreate small aselect to every create a cut stuck at this since 2006 and love what I and or other labels, have a chance at being season along withline a skate teamseason and board range.

Alsoa skate & sew every along with do, I definitely don’t see myself giving up to work and collaborate with some of the brands team and board range.

Also to that work and successful?

anymake day soon. sure your brand is unique and is a high I have watched grow with mesome and grow up wearing. collaborate with of the brands that I If you have watched grow with me and grow up quality garment, the only thing holding you back is Docommitment you think thatthe the fact your to push brand andthere get it out What dowearing. you think of the recent influx of there.

I have stuck atlabels this sincenow 2006 and love what I is so many creating street-wear labels, both internationally, I definitely don't see myself giving up any day What do you think of the recent do,fairly similar products it takes nationally & locally? soon. influx of street-wear labels, away from the originality, which I like the fact that there are a lot of really good labels both nationally & Doisyou thethink essence of street wear? that the fact there is some starting but there internationally, are also a lot of brands that pop No it labels just shows that those brands not up not realizing how much work is involved in locally? many now creating fairlyare similar being original and need to change there starting the brand. takes that hard work I like theIt fact therepenitence are a lotand of really products it takes away from the originality, dedication, its a labels long road. good starting but there are also a lot approach to there brand development. is its themore essence of the street wear?

I think along lines of local of brands that pop up not realizing how much which it just shows that those brands are not being creating similar products, not work is involved in starting the brand. It takes Nobrands original and there need toown change there approach creating imagery and nichetoin hard work penitence and dedication, its a long Why do you think there are a lot of people there development. think its more thebrand market.

You needI to know youralong ownthe road. are starting their own labels? lines of local brands products, not design style and creating developsimilar it.

I think some are starting there own brands thinking there own imagery and niece in the market.

Why do you think there are a lot creating it looks easy and they can make a quick buck. There You need to know yourit’s ownadesign style Do you think good orand bad starting are also a of lot ofpeople really goodare artists and peopletheir who own develop it. thing that there are so many want to develop labelsthere ? own products to a higher different to choose from? standard due to the drop are of that with some brands I think some starting their own brands Do you thinklabels it’s a good or bad thing that Its great to have a large selection to going commercial, thinking or it selling looks out. easy and they can make a there are so many different labels to choose from for the consumer. There are quick buck. There are also a lot of really good from? so many brands now that not all stores can artists and people who want to develop there choose great to have acurrent large selection choose from for there range, to which opens own products to a higher standard due to the Itsstock There are so many brands now that the opportunity for more boutiques, drop with some brands going commercial, or theupconsumer. not all stores can and stockpop there online stores upcurrent shops.range, which selling out. opens up the opportunity for more boutiques, online stores and pop up shops.

Due to the high number of labels to Interview by Kylie de Vos Design by Aston Van Eldik compete with in the international, Photography by Aston Van Eldik Design by Brook Wells

k some some are are starting g their own wn brandsit s thinking g it looks easy.”

national & local markets, do you think Dime and or other labels, have a chance at being successful?

09

KRUMP With Esoteryx Crew

It’s a Wednesday night in a fairly non-descript (but known car park) in Perth. By eight, a group of seemingly random people of all ages and nationalities have gathered and are facing each other off. Bass heavy music plays into the night air, giving the perfect environment for a battle to occur. Whilst the stares and movements are aggressive, this is not inflicted directly on other people. In the heat of the moment, some shoving occurs, but this is no turf war, it isn’t even West Side Story.

The rapid fire staccato movements of the gathered are a representation from feelings deep within the soul. This is observable passion; this is fighting without fighting one another but instead oneself. This is Krump.

Born in the time frame where the Rodney King race riots exposed the still present racial tension for the American populace, there was need for something to fill the void present in many lives, especially the youth in South Central Los Angeles. Krump began life as an offshoot of Clowning. Started by Tommy the Clown, Clowning sought to combine Bboy moves with a more theatric flair, a way to draw something positive out of what could be a pretty dark place sometimes. The Krump movement began life via two of Tommy the

Clown’s protégées “Tight-Eyez” and “Big Mijo”, who in turn became mentors of their own finding youths who style and mentality matched their own. Early Krumping visibly has the face painting of Clowning and the same theatric focus, but today the two styles have their own unique identity, whilst still maintaining and passing on traditions as new generations are involved.

Crossing cultures, timelines and oceans, from Los Angeles to West Perth, Western Australia, Krump continues to make its impact felt, even somewhere as remote as Perth. Repping Western Australia in any competition is local Krump crew, Esoteryx. Brain child of Ian de Mello aka Hoodlum, Esoteryx is the primary representation of C.O.P. Km (City of Perth Krump Movement), with Ian leading the charge with events like Clash of the States.

Like many, Ian got into Krump when it began to penetrate the general consciousness.

Krump is all about expression, light and dark and like emcees which different handles, the names yield different aspects of the practitioner.

PING

‘Hoodlum is one of the characters I operate under. It represents story wise, the darker things I think of but don’t do. Krysis was another character I used to use but I like to say it is my style now because a Hoodlum creates crisis. I also go under the handle J.Kaos, but it is only really in use when I have to show my authority. It is patterned after a General/Lieutenant type that is leading a battalion into action’ Gabriel Dumanon forms the other part of the leadership of Esoteryx. When asked about the comparisons between states, Myndset takes a moment to respond ‘Perth is sort of the like the little brother state...but it’s also the tightest as there is no beef’. The use of the handle Myndset is no coincidence, when one sees Krump it is clear that it was deliberate act.

“With Krump it could be the next common dance, as it encapsulates everything.”

Mynd is ‘the Heavy, spiritual aspect. It’s mind over matter, as no in stopping me. SET (Seek Eliminate Talents) on the other hand is the weapon specialist, more technical, more seek and destroy’. One can see both elements at play in the limited quiet times during the frantic labbing sessions, one can see Gabriel naturally working with his protégés, in order to improve and sharpen their movements.

‘I want to build an army of Krumpers, but I want them to be humble as well. Ultimately, I view Krump as a tool to show a better way of living. For me, it was a way to built confidence as well as made me the person who I am.

But I also try to have some perspective.

Krump is important, but the other things like friendships and building life skills are important as well.’

The influence of Ian and Gabriel is present with the members of Esoteryx and indeed the mentoring that Krump encourages.

Nelson ‘Untame’ Huynh puts it succinctly. ‘We all look up to Ian and Gabe for the knowledge, music and know-how with Krump. My Krump name Untame shows the animalistic side. It’s rowdy, and the rowdiness is to get the crowd

going and give them a chance to interact’. Any person who has been privileged enough to see a Krump session can attest to the truth in the words, as at any moment other Krumper can dive in, pushing the energy level upwards.

Nelson goes on ‘Like Ian and Gab, my mentor was originally hails from Melbourne. I learnt my trade under Antagonize so he is Big Antagonize. As Lil Antagonize in comparison to Untame my style is more conceited and cocky, with some more taunting thrown in.

There are a fair few Krump names like that, it’s almost like a clan name that gets passed down’.

The ability of Krump to cross borders and generations is present with Danyan ‘Trajikk’ Te Paiho. Moving from New Zealand a little over two years ago, Krump was a way to settle in Perth, as anyone who has even just moved cities knows how hard it can be to adapt to a new location. ‘I found Esoteryx via Facebook. Krump was my movement back in New Zealand so it was a way to connect to my new home. I really, really hate to say it, but Krump is more developed here in Australia versus back home’ Danyan’s style is reflective of his life’s journey, ‘Trajikk aka Twin Break Through is a tricky beast. He is the eye of the storm, chilled and calm in the centre but dangerous outside that centered place’.

Rounding out Esoteryx is Andrew Zilla Jordan, the ‘Killer Beast with the Zilla Steez’. Much like the classic Japan icon where the name comes from , Zilla’s movements in Krump are both energetic and reptilian in nature. Curiously one can also see the shades of Kabuki thrown in, the classic Japanese dance-drama which is a main stay in Japanese culture which only serve reinforces the Zilla name . Listening to his story reveals common themes that occur in Krump, people of completely different backgrounds meeting each other due to the shared love of Krump for its ability to let one express the full spectrum of emotion, without resorting to destroying people or property, ‘I actually started out at Bboying. I saw some clips online probably in the early 2000’s. I was hanging out at HQ, when I started asking around and a DJ put me into the direction of Ian and Gabriel’.

Zilla sees the future of Krump optimistically ‘It’s hard to say where exactly it is going, as everyone brings something with their characters and it keeps branching out. With Krump it could be the next common dance, as it encapsulates everything’.

On the current scene , Ian is on the other hand is pragmatic. ‘I’m happy that it’s hit the mainstream but a lot of Krump it looks the same. We get cats who get into the game who think they know everything, that they know the Krump movements inside out, but really Krump....is about getting to know and staying true to yourself, who you are. Not following trends. In Perth that’s what how we teach people, which helps them in many aspects of life too.”

Words by David Coffey Photography by Daniel Craig Design by Lilian Yeow

06. Esoteryx Crew 08. Dime Clothing 12. DVS 14. Brad Morfett 16. Taking it Back 26. Hanging Out at Carbon Festival 28. Rome Apparel 30. Chu 31. Kit Pop 32. Sid Pattni 33. Mat Rafle 34. Donald Krunk 35. The Art of Crate Digging Publisher: Colosoul Group Inc. CEO: Trica Ray Wordplay Editor: Kylie de Vos Photography Editor: Daniel Craig Creative Director: Lilian Yeow Contributing writers: David Coffey, Kylie de Vos, Ollie Read, Ciaran Jones, Tricia Ray Photographers: Daniel Craig, David McLoughlin Graphic Designers: Brook Wells, Meng Jones, Lilian Yeow Disclaimer: No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or part without the permission of the publisher.

Wordplay Magazine is a publication of Colosoul Group Inc.

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