Flesh & Bone Vol. 7 by OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE

FLESH & BONE In pursuit of art and music VOL.7

F&B

Submissions: If you are intertested in being featured in F&B contact: fleshbonemagazine@gmail.com All images copyright the respective contributor.

FOUNDER: Brandynn L. Pope COPY EDITOR: Donald Kimber DESIGN & LAYOUT: Brandynn L. Pope COVER DESIGN: Morgan Fraser WRITERS: Sara Almlah Angela Butler Ashley Houston Donald Kimber Brandynn L. Pope

THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHERS: Angela Butler Blair Caldwell Brandynn L. Pope Brittney Tambeau Sami Wideberg Sara Almlah

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CONTENT

DECEMBER, 2014 | VOL. 7

ALBUM REVIEWS BRENT WALSH

This album is one where it is best listened to after you have a bit of a background: the title 7 corresponds to the number of years that were spent gathering tracks together while on the road with I The Mighty. In following this process, Brent Walsh has created a record layered with different kinds of songs.

ALBUM: 7 RELEASE: November 10th, 2014 STAND OUT: Vitamin Smoke AUTHOR: Brandynn L. Pope

With all the diverse tracks, possibly the most surprising track is “Sea of Thoughts,” which stands out from the others in that the shift of genre classification is greater than the others. Walsh alters the mood, rapping his words rather than singing them as he does in other tracks. As the opening

track, “Free” is the perfect inversion of “Vitamin Smoke”: the closer. Both feature similar styles, remaining focused on love and loss. The album features some songs that could be used as I The Mighty B-Sides, while also showing off acoustic work and his trademarked strained vocals. 7 shows a great insight into the last seven years of Walsh’s life, displaying maturity in sound regardless of where they were written on the time line. There is no doubt in my mind that everyone can find at least one track on this album that resonates with them.

PVRIS

ALBUM: White Noise RELEASE: November 4th, 2014 STAND OUT: Fire AUTHOR: Brandynn L. Pope

There is a great deal of consistency in this album. All of the tracks belong together, but are still able to have a voice of their own. The best way to describe the album is: ten tracks of passionate aggression. PVRIS is album to situate themselves so that there is no real genre that can quite communicate the idea of their sound. Vocalist Lyn Gunn is a powerhouse in her subtly, especially in tracks like “Eyelids,” or “White Noise.” When “St. Patrick” was one of the first singles PVRIS released, it gives strength to the album, showing it’s ability to break through genre specifications. It is able to lend a hint of energy to the rest of the album. which works on an

electronic level while also maintaining raw focus on the instrumentals. Few bands are able to maintain this level of cohesive variation, especially when there are only three members working together to create these elements. Nevertheless, PVRIS is able to achieve all this in an album of only ten tracks. White Noise draws in great success from it’s ability to captivate with varied soundscapes. This unique draw is what will take them far as a band.

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OUT THIS MONTH

Trash Kit We Are The Finale Angels & Airwaves Ghostface Killah Lil Wayne The Smashing Pumpkins To Be King Charli XCX

Confidence The Magic Show Act II: The Turn The Dream Walker 36 Seasons Tha Carter V [Part 1] Monuments To An Elegy Fear Not Sucker

Best of

2014 STAFF PICKS

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Brandynn L. Pope| (1) Photo: I’ve worked more this year than I have any other making it very difficult to find a single image I considered the “best.” For me there’s multiple images that I considered a true success, especially when it came to documenting Cease & Desist, Kingsland, or Colour In The Clouds. But for me, the most significant was photographing the Used, a band that has influenced my musical taste for years. Nothing can beat that stage pressence. (2) Album: Colour In The Clouds, Colour In The Clouds. It’s not often that I come across an album that has lyrical content that is equal to the quality of the music produced. Of all the albums that came out this year this one has stood out to me more than any other possibly could. (3) Song: Me In My Own Head, Beartooth. The album itself blew my mind with how honest and raw it is. This song in particular takes a hold on my heart with it’s strength in lyrical content and how it works musicality. As the song slows down, Caleb Shomo sings melodically “What I would give to sleep my life away, I’d never feel alone again. And yet it’s still the same when i’m dreaming, it’s just me” it still hurts my heart in that contrast of his uncleans. Absolutely stunning. (4) Decision: Going through with F&B. As cheesey as it may sound this is something that I have been passionate about doing for years. Talking with and sharing other artists is important to me and my life would not be the same if I did not push myself to take charge and just go for it. (5) Memory: Time spent with [former] Cease & Desist. Traveling with them to Mazzfest and taking the time to get to know them over a years worth of time is a huge part of why I have come so far. They were proof to me that there really are like-minded people that can bring pleasantry to the world.

Donald Kimber |

(1) Dance Gavin Dance, Acceptance Speech: Since my brother introduced my to DGD many years ago they have been among my all-time favourites. Their incredible passion, piercing vocal melodies, and raw, unashamed content always inspired me in those long nights of essay writing, and long days of prairie driving alike. When they officially announced that Jonny Craig was leaving in 2012, I went into mourning... However, all my deepest fears were abated with their newest release. Pearson had big shoes to fill and he more than succeeded in his new role. Please give this incredible band a chance in the new year. My favourite of the year. (2) A Year in Gaming: As a long-time gamer and avid follower of the arts, I begrudgingly have to admit I am disappointed in the industry. The current generation consoles have largely disappointed me, but far worse than that is the stagnation I sense in the medium. I have believed for a long time that videogames are moving towards the status of art: this is a legitimate passion of mine. However, the shortage of exciting titles this year coupled with events like GamerGate and the cancelation of Anita Sarkeesian’s speaking event at Utah State University due to anti-feminist shooting threats frustrates me. (3) Ed Sheeran, X: Those who reduce Ed Sheeran to a simple Pop artist need to check out some of his deeper cuts. Songs like “Afire Love” and “Even My Dad Does Sometimes” are profoundly personal and emotional accounts that are backed up by simple, yet elegant compositions. Sheeran is undoubtedly a talented vocalist, musician, and newsflash! The kid can rap! He brings a certain old-school element in his approach and provides narrative songwriting in several of his tracks: something I miss in many modern songs. With a great personality and great music to offer, Sheeran deserves your attention. (4) Rose Ave., You & Me: While certainly not his most noteworthy work, anything from Dallas Green garners my attention. This collaboration album between long-time friends Dallas and Alicia Moore is filled with hopeful imagery and affirmative concepts. Dallas has been moving in this direction for some time and he finds good synergy with Moore. The songs are pleasant and let each singer shine, but perhaps my own memory of Dallas as the brooding artist in his own discography prevents me from celebrating too fervently. “Gently” is a highlight from the album that does touch on some darker themes. Please give this one a try. (5) Guardians of the Galaxy: After reading Alan Moore’s Watchmen, (which continues to be one of my favourites and a jewel of the postmodern period), last year I was launched headlong into the world of graphic novels. When I heard about Star-lord and his gang I was immediately enthused. Though I have yet to read any of the comics (trust me, I know, I will) the movie was a fantastic experience. I especially appreciated the emotionally charged portrayal of the characters who came from diverse and tragic beginnings. Who wouldn’t tear up when Rocket Raccoon breaks down!? Well worth watching, although it isn’t without its faults.

Sara Almlah |

(1) Finding My Voice: In 2014 I finally did something I’ve been wanting to do all my life. I took control of my life. I embarked on a crazy journey into losing weight and making my self a happier, healthier person. I’ve lost a total of nearly 95 pounds so far and there’s no stopping me now. I’m on my way to living a long and healthy life. I never knew that with weight loss came a little self-confidence, and to make that discovery has been absolutely life changing. It does make me think: “Why didn’t I do this sooner?,” but in the end, the past doesn’t matter: it’s the presence what counts. I found the “key” to my happiness, and the alleyway to what has led me to a happy Sara. As soon as I started this journey, everything else began following. (2) Finding My Strength: In September of 2014 I went to a job interview for a juice shop. I noticed the lady was “off” during the interview, but I brushed it off. I thought I rocked the interview. I was confident, had good credentials, a resume, etc. I was ready. The lady stopped me and said, “No offense, but what are customers going to think when they walk into a health-based store and see someone unhealthy working there? How will that effect this business?” I was so taken aback. I let it get to me at first, but then I realized: it made me stronger. It made me start some type of movement against discrimination of appearance. I had an on-TV interview with a Long Island news station, found my true friends who stuck by me through it all, and found the strength inside to me to finally speak out and show that I wasn’t afraid to try and put an end to this. (3) Finding My Passion: In April 2014 I became a staff writer for Flesh & Bone. It helped me get more involved with my love for writing, my love for finding new music, and my new found love for art. I’ve always wanted to work with a publication, and for F&B to be the first one I join was the best decision I’ve ever made. It helped me discover new things about myself and achieve things I never thought I’d be able to do alone. (4) Finding My Favorite Band: At the end of 2013 my favorite band broke up. It hit me hard. Being a supporter for nearly five years was a journey. I made friendships that lasted a long time with fellow fans. It was hard getting over what you’d call an “obsession”. I had nothing to fall back on, but in the summer of 2014, I found out about the most wonderful band: the 1975. Their music is so different, and their passion truly shows in everything they do. Every song on their album, The 1975, is a true work of art. It is nothing like anything ever seen before. It has heartbreak, it has love, it has tons and tons of meaningful words, and it has songs that you get lost in and find happiness from. The 1975 are a treasure, and I am so damn happy that I’ve been able to enjoy what they offer to this world. It was a breath of fresh air to finally enjoy music for music. (5) Finding Myself: In the long run, I truly discovered who I am this year. My love for music blossomed, my love for art and every aspect of it became bigger, and I found what made me happy overall. This year all-in-all helped me find my path and finally allow myself to be satisfied with who I am. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still learning, and this is just the beginning. I didn’t need heartbreak to help me discover myself: all I needed was a kick in the ass to take control of my life and test new waters, and that’s what I did. Now I’ve never been more damn proud of who I am.

Ashley Houston |

(1) Album: I’ve gone back and forth quite a bit about which album I consider the best that came out in 2014. There were plenty of honourable mentions that could have held this spot, but I would have to say that my favourite album of 2014 would have to be The Acoustic Things by State Champs. I have loved State Champs for quite a while now and as soon as I heard that they were releasing an acoustic album I knew it would be a hit! (2) Concert: The best concert of 2014, for me, was definitely Twenty One Pilots. In September I got to see the band two nights in a row in Columbus, Ohio, (which happens to be the hometown of both the band and I). Anytime that they’ve performed in the city I’ve made it a point to go to the show. It was such a refreshing experience to see a band that puts 110% into their live performance two nights in a row. (3) TV Show: This was also a difficult category to pick a favorite in... However, my all-time favourite TV show is, and always will be Criminal Minds. Despite this, the TV show that stole my love this year would have to be Finding Carter. I’m not quite sure what first drew me to this show, but once I started watching I couldn’t wait for the next episode to be on! (4) Photograph [I Took]: This image means a lot to me because that show was the first one that I had ever gotten the chance to take pictures from a photo pit. It was one of the first images that I ever felt proud of, and wanted to show everyone-and-anyone who was willing to look at it. I’m still learning and hope to get better, but I’ll always be extremely proud of this picture. (5) Memory: My favourite memory of 2014 is any moment that I laughed until I was crying. In this past year I have changed dramatically, and I’ve changed jobs twice due to better opportunities coming open and whatnot... However, the people that I’ve met along the way have made me a better, and less bitter, person. I have made lifelong friends and enough memories to last a lifetime. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me in 2015, but I have never been so excited!

GALLERY

REVIEW

The night started off with Madi Diaz, who I had never heard of prior to this show. She won my ears from the moment she started playing. With her soothing voice and minimal instruments, Diaz was definitely an enjoyable opening act. It was nice to see her quirky personality shine through while speaking to the audience between songs. Although I would say her style of music primarily aims towards an older crowd, I believe she grabbed the attention of many as displayed by the amount of participation from the crowd during her set. Diaz is definitely an artist I would recommend to friends to check out and hopefully she’ll be selling out the Middle East herself in the future. Then it was time for the second and final act of the night, Echosmith. From the moment the four siblings hit the stage, they had this “cool” vibe to them, which was very different to see from a band made up of teens (aging from 15 to 21). Despite the fact they are so young, this family band is currently on the rise and capturing the ears of thousands now that their single “Cool Kids” has hit radio stations across the country. The sold-out crowd at the Middle East was filled with all ages that simply enjoy live music, because it seemed many did not know the words to the songs. These four siblings are definitely a band to watch in 2015 and I can’t wait to see what is in store for them.

WORLD TOUR The night started off slow with the harmonic duo, This Wild Life. Though their music differed from the other acts that night, they set a pretty calm bar for what was to follow. Following them was the ever-energetic band Beartooth, who never seem to disappoint and certainly did not in Hartford. The crowd gave them a positive response, slating them the perfect band to warm everyone up on that winter night.

numerous times, I can consider them a band that knows how to work the crowd and keep everyone engaged, even if they didn’t necessarily come for them.

Although I seemed to be on the “older” spectrum of fans at the show, I don’t think their music pertains to a certain age. The setlist contained songs off their most recent release, Collide with the Sky, and also included Not long after Beartooth’s exit, it was time for the guys the old ones everyone has grown to love. However, I personally would have loved to hear a new song in Pierce the Veil. The piercing screams began the minute “May These Noises Startle You in Your Sleep” by the guys this tour, just to get a taste of what is to started to play over the speakers and everyone in the come with the new album. Nevertheless, their setlist was far from disappointing. Throughout the entire set, room excitedly awaited what was to come. the guys exhibited a lot of energy, which the crowd From the moment the four guys hit the stage, they responded to. This is a band that I can see continuing controlled the room. For not touring the US in over a to make great music and sell-out venues around the year, the guys certainly did not lose their enthusiastic world. stage presence. Having seen Pierce the Veil

INTERVIEW

Alexa Ferr

My name is Alexa Ferr and I’m an R&B/Pop artist from Toronto, Ontario. I’ve been singing and dancing my entire life, but I also write and act. When you first meet me I’m really shy, but as I get to know you better I begin to open up. I have two nephews and one niece. I also recently moved to Los Angeles to pursue my career in music and to record and promote my music in the U.S.

YOU’RE ORIGINALLY FROM TORONTO AND NOW FIND YOURSELVE WORKING IN LOS ANGELES. WHAT IS IT LIKE WORKING SO FAR FROM HOME, ESPECIALLY BEING IN A DIFFERENT COUNTRY?

It’s a really cool feeling being able to work outside of Toronto. I love my city and it will always be home to me, but it’s a different experience working in LA. The majority of people in L.A are involved in the entertainment industry in some way, so there are many people to network with, and work on music with.

YOU RECENTLY RELEASED A MUSIC VIDEO FOR YOUR POPULAR TRACK “NO GOOD.” WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE TRACK?

The inspiration behind the single “No Good” came from us girls having to realize that we deserve better and shouldn’t settle for anything less than that.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE CONCEPT BEHIND THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NO GOOD”?

The Invaders, a LA Production duo and I collectively came up with the idea of making a video that was 90’s inspired. We took inspirations from videos by artists such as Aaliyah and Mary J. Blige. I’m really excited for everyone to see the music video and I hope they like it!

WHAT WAS THE WRITING AND RECORDING PROCESS LIKE FOR YOUR UPCOMING SOPHMORE EP LIKE? The process for writing and recording my sophomore EP went really well! I worked with Matthew “Mdot” Finley, The Invaders, and a couple of others on this EP. We all worked well together and shared a lot of common ideas and thoughts on the direction of each song melodically and conceptually.

WHO AND WHAT WERE OTHER INFLUENCES ON YOUR EP AND YOUR CAREER?

I grew up listening to R&B music, especially from the 90’s to early 2000’s. My EP is very much inspired by that era, particularly from two of favourite artists: Aaliyah and Brandy!

SO THE 90s INFLUENCED YOUR SOPHMORE EP. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THEMES AND IDEAS THAT YOU CHOSE TO PURSUE?

As I created my debut EP Lipstick On The Glass, for my sophomore EP I drew on inspiration from my personal life and experiences that I’ve gone through, as well as personal experiences from people I know. A lot of melodies and harmonies on the EP resemble those that were used in music from the 90’s. I wanted my EP to reflect the inspiration I got from that time period. I also wanted to make songs with a 90’s throwback feel while still maintaining a modern day twist on it.

WITH YOUR PREVIOUS RELEASE OF LIPSTICK ON THE GLASS IN MIND, HOW HAS THE PROCESS CONTRASTED WITH WORKING ON YOUR UPCOMING EP?

YOU HAVE ALREADY ACHIEVED A GREAT AMOUNT, BUT WHAT HAS BEEN THE HIGHEST MOMENT OF YOUR CAREER?

ON THIS EP YOU CO-WROTE ALL THE SONGS, WHICH WAS DIFFERENT FROM LIPSTICK ON THE GLASS. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO REALLY BE ABLE TO HAVE INPUT AND SAY IN THE SONG’S DIRECTION?

IF YOU WERE TO COLLABORATE WITHANOTHER ARTIST, WHOM WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT WITH?

Over the past two years I’ve really grown as both an artist and a person, and it’s reflected in the overall music process. I’ve matured and wrote about more mature content on the EP. I feel more comfortable with the artist and person I’m growing into!

On my debut EP I only co-wrote a few songs, but this time around I wanted to be more involved. I felt that I had more on my heart that I wanted to express and share with the world, hoping others would be able to connect with the songs.

NOW THAT YOUR FIRST SINGLE “FELL” IS BEHIND YOU, HOW DID YOU COME TO APPROACH THAT STYLISTIC CHANGE IN YOUR SOUND?

I’ve always been more influenced by R&B/Pop, so it was a natural transition to move from Dance to R&B/ Pop. Once I made the transition, I felt like I finally started to become the artist I’ve always envisioned myself to be!

YOU’RE ALSO INVOLVED WITH DANCE AND ACTING AS WELL. HOW DO YOU COMBINE THESE TALENTS WITH YOUR MUSIC?

I love to combine my music with my dancing and acting whenever I perform on stage for my fans, because I love to give them the experience they came to see!

In September I shot my music video for the EP’s first single “No Good.” I realized how much I’ve grown in just a year, let alone in the 6 years since I’ve been pursuing my dream. I’m incredibly proud of myself and how far I’ve become; shooting the music video was surreal to me.

If I was to collaborate with another artist, I would hands down work with Rihanna, Aaliyah, or Drake!

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE DREAM / GOAL FOR YOU AS AN ARTIST? WHAT ARE SOME LITTLE THNIGS THAT YOU HOPE TO ACHIEVE ALONG THE WAY?

The ultimate dream/goal for me as an artist is to win a Grammy and to start my own label one day, as well as tour the world. A little thing I hope to achieve along the way is to be able to inspire people through my music.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE TUNING INTO YOUR MUSIC, WHAT DO YOU HOPE THAT THEY CAN TAKE AWAY FROM IT?

I hope that people are inspired by my music and are able to connect to one song. I hope that in whatever situation they’re going through or experiencing, that they know they’re not alone. ___________ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AlexaFerrMusic INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/alexaferrmusic TUMBLR: http://alexaferrmusic.tumblr.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/alexaferrmusic

Nick Tangorra Band ___________

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/NickTangorra TWITTER: https://twitter.com/nicktangorra WEBSITE: http://nicktangorra.com/

Recently, I got to sit down and talk with the super fun, super personable, and super talented Nick Tangorra Band. When I interview bands I like to find out who they are, the reason they’re in this industry, and why they chose to pursue music as their career. This band is filled with so much love for what they do, and it’s been an honour to get to know them. They’re a self-made band from Long Island, New York with nothing but passion to make their dreams become a reality. Each day they’re expanding and making a name for themselves. DO YOU HAVE ANY DREAMS OR GOALS YOU ARE PURSUING RIGHT NOW?

Nick: I think the dream right now is to continue what we’re doing, I really think we are living our dream right now. Our dream right now is to perform. I guess you can say we are living our dream. We just want to keep doing what we are doing, because in all honesty, we’re getting bigger and better at what we’re doing. I guess you can say a goal is to sell out Madison Square Garden, Radio City, MetLife stadium, but dream-wise is to do what we’re doing right now. Rafe: It’s the end goal. We want to be able to play our music for everybody. Little by little, we are getting noticed by more people, important people, and we’re getting to play in new places we never thought we’d be able to play.

SPEAKING OF GOALS, DID YOU HAVE ANY FOR 2014 THAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED? Nick: I think our goal for 2014 was to kick ass, and I think we achieved it.

ARE THERE ANY NEW WATERS YOU WANT TO TEST IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

Nick: We’re all about testing new waters. When we see something on TV we’re like, “Okay, lets not do that,” because we want to be, obviously, relatable. But we have our own crafting, and we don’t want to be like everyone else. We want to stand out, basically do our own thing. It works for us. People call it the “purple cow of the industry,” but you see us and they’re like, “Oh they’re just some pop boy band.” I got some flannel wrapped around my waist, like everybody else does, but when we get up on stage it’s a completely different vibe, and it’s like “What?,” and that’s the goal for us. It’s not to live up to that boy band pop, because we’re not. Rafe: Lately we’ve been doing things with horns. We love getting away from the pop and the tracks. We love pop, we’ll still be writing pop, we’ll always be considered pop, but you know we’re not trying to be fake musicians. We want to play. Not some type of robot. ABOUT THE HORNS: YOU HAVE THE BLACK TIE BRASS. YOU PERFORM SHOWS WITH THEM. TELL US MORE ABOUT THEM.

Rafe: Yeah, it’s actually pretty funny. They called me one night and said, “Hey, we need a drummer to fill in. Can you help us out?” I was studying the whole massive jazz program at my college, so I know these guys and I’ve played with them for a while. I filled in and it just worked. So I said, “Idea! Would you guys, like, want to play for us one time?” They were all on board. It was awesome. The core would always be Will, Nick, and I, but it’s cool to have extra musicians with us for the time being to come up and join us. Will: Well said. It’s fun playing with a nine-piece-band. It’s new for us, and it’s given us the opportunity to play songs we normally wouldn’t be able to play: like the Motown and Doo-Wop stuff. We were talking today about new cover possibilities that couldn’t be done with just the 3 of us.

WHAT MAKES THE NICK TANGORRA BAND SO DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER POP BAND OUT THERE? Nick: We really give a shit. I know that sounds crazy, but we put so much passion into what we do.

Especially with pop music. It’s hard! A lot of people think it’s all contrived, so “bubblegum pop”, and the lyrics and everything like that. Every single thing that we do has so much passion that goes into it. We try not to be like anyone else, we’re just being ourselves. When we get up on stage we have no idea what the hell you’re going to get out of it. It’s so different each time we perform. You don’t know if I’m going to fall and break my knees, and jump, Rafe’s going to do the stick twirl, there’s just so much passion. Rafe: As far as the songs go, we write everything. We have a hand in the process of how that song is created. We’re the ones who give it life. There’s people who hire people to write their songs, but with us it’s not like that. This is something we create. It’s ours and that’s how it gets done.”

HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE VIEWED IN THE MUSIC SCENE? WHAT GENRE WOULD YOU WANT TO BE CONSIDERED?

Rafe: I just want to come off as feel-good music... if that’s a genre. Honestly, the closest thing we could fit into is pop. It’s tough with pop, we could be pop rock, pop funk. Will: Yeah, pop is definitely a general category. Technically, the Beatles were pop, and it goes all the way to Lady Gaga pop. Rafe made a great point: it’s hard to make that alleyway and put ourselves in that hole, because 10 years from now we could be putting out a funk album. The three of us would just go with it. But personally, for me, I like the rock outlet we’ve been going towards lately.

AS YOU GUYS GROW OLDER YOU DEVELOP MORE, AND SO DOES YOUR MUSIC, HAVE YOU SEEN YOURSELVES CHANGE? IS THERE SOMETHING NEW YOU FOUND OUT ABOUT YOURSELVES AS A BAND THE PAST 2 YEARS?

Rafe: I think one thing I’ve noticed is that all of our writing has changed so much. We were happy, lovable guys in our first album, so a lot of the songs in there were, “Lets feel good. Lets feel happy.” It just turned into, “Let’s take that idea and grow with it. Lets write hate songs.” Nick: I think a lot that goes into is our emotions. We do a lot of events, whatever the case may be. In most cases people look at us like we’re absolute pieces of garbage and treat us like trash. The fact that we are able to write and express our emotions. We just pour out the hate and everything that we feel into our songs.

“We really give a shit. I know that sounds crazy, but we put so much passion into what we do. ” WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM THE UPCOMING ALBUM? YOU HAVE, AFTER ALL, BEEN IN THE STUDIO SO MUCH THE PAST YEAR.

Nick: Craziness. The whole second album is just a mash up of everything that we love genre wise. There’s more doo-wop things, then there’s more pop, electronic ‘80s, Motown, and then you have the rock side of it. We’re thinking of calling it “Time Machine,” because it literally takes you through every single decade. There’s just so much going on that we have no idea what to call it!

IF YOU HAD TO COMPARE THIS NEW ALBUM TO ANOTHER ARTIST’S, WHO WOULD YOU COMPARE IT TO?

Nick: I don’t think I could. It’s just so different. It has our flavour. Inspiration wise, I don’t know for the band, but I look at Bruno Mars. But that’s just one tiny aspect. It’s crazy. You have songs like “Damaged Done” and you’re like, “Whoa. That’s not Bruno Mars,” it’s like something crazy. Almost Paramore.

IN MID-NOVEMBER YOU GUYS DID A LIVE SESSION RECORDING WITH THE BLACK TIE BRASS. IS THERE A PROJECT GOING TO COME OUTOF THAT?

Rafe: Basically, what we did was record three Christmas songs, and we’re going to release a little EP for everybody. We also did live tracks about a year ago. We’re going to take those and add them onto the live tracks we just did and put out a live studio album with about 12 tracks. Printed, iTunes, Spotify. The girls who came out that day were a part of the recording process, saw the heated conversations, and saw the band rehearsing: all the retakes, playbacks. It was awesome to have them be a part of it. It’s a cool dynamic that we have with our band: we’re real musicians and we can play real stuff. We want to get away from tracks, we don’t want to play with tracks.

YOU WANT TO PLAY WITH REAL MUSIC? YOU DON’T GET THE FEEL OF MUSIC WHEN YOU USE TRACKS? Rafe: Exactly. We do the live recording and it’s a completely different side of the band. It’s a side we want to express.

WHEN IT COMES TO PUTTING A SONG TOGETHER, WHAT COMES FIRST: THE MELODY OR THE LYRICS? ANY TYPE OF MENTAL CHECK LIST?

Nick: It’s always separate. Most of the time Will and Rafe would come up with the melody. I’m all about coming up with lyrics. For the rap in “Lately,” or, “Nothing Without You,” I sat in my room, closed my door, just sat there and just wrote. A lot of times we just write things in like 20 minutes: “Save Your Love From Me” was written right in Will’s basement. I like to work in my room and just write lyrics, then put it all together and go, “Oh. Wow.” No mental check list, we just write. We work so hard and we’re so spontaneous. We never know what we’re going to do next. That’s what’s so cool about us. We’re so organic, nothings artificial. It’s all just real. Will: I’m sure I can speak on behalf of Rafe and I. Nick said lyrics, but for Rafe and I it’s definitely melody. That’s how we wrote “Juliet”. Rafe: Personally, on my song writing, it usually starts with chords. I’ll start humming out a melody and I think to myself, “Oh man, what do I want to write about?” When I find something that fits the mood I’m in, the possibilities are endless. I wrote a song that I don’t know if it’s going to work for the band or not, but it’s about a solider who died overseas, but he didn’t realize

it until he saw his name on the list. He was trying to go home to tell his mom, “Hey I’m here. Its okay,” but she just looks right through him. I don’t know where it came from, but it just came. You can’t set rules on writing. No check list.

WHAT IS A FACT ABOUT YOU THAT SOME PEOPLE DON’T KNOW? Nick: Fact on Rafe is that he is awesome. He sits

there, every single week, and edits our Youtube videos. He’s in charge of all the “New Video Wednesday” stuff. He also makes sure we have everything ready to go music wise. He’s really, really good with that. A fact on William: he’s the master behind the Nick Tangorra website. He’s the one editing all of that. Whenever you see something new on our website, it’s all Will. All the mistakes, the typos, all that, but all the good stuff and benefits is because of him.

YOU GUYS JUST ANNOUNCED TOGETHER TOUR! CONGRATS. TELL US ABOUT IT. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? WHAT ARE SOME SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THIS AND OTHER TOURS?

Will: San Diego, our first stop we have, was just announced the other day. We have many of our great friends who will be performing side-by-side with us:

including Mahogany Lox, Aaron Carpenter, and Chase Gohering. We’re trying to bring back MagCon and just make it bigger and better. Nick: This is comfortable and happiness for us. Now were touring places we’ve never been before. We’re also doing it with people that mean a lot to us. It’s becoming a family, you know? We’re just so happy when they do good, and they’re happy when we do good, it’s family. Will: May or may not be more dates being announced very soon.

SPEAKING OF TOURS, WHAT WAS YOUR BEST AND WORST EXPERIENCE OF BEING ON TOUR?

Rafe: Worst experience was having Nick get his appendix taken out. Best was the overwhelming amount of support and love we received two days after he got it pulled going and performing at Six Flags, NJ. Nick: Actually, I was going to say our worst/best experience was our Georgia stop. Will: Agreed. Nick: Will picked us up late for the airport, and we missed our flight by one second. We had to get another flight and they said our ticket were onboard. Then we got on the plane and found out we had no flight home because we “missed” the first one. We get to Georgia and find out they gave away our rental van, then we had to take someone else’s, and there’s literally a monsoon outside and we get lost. A 10 minute drive turns into 25, and we get to our hotel and its in the ghetto, unsanitary conditions, attached to a McDonalds. Rafe: It was a front for gang activity. Nick: Oh my God. There was prostitution. Now we’re waiting to get our room and we walk in: bugs everywhere. The AC was on the floor! The janitor was a lady with one eye. We were out! The lady at the front desk was wearing a shirt that said, “Bo$$” and kissy lips. One guy had a tear drop tattooed. It was just scary. We get into a car and we see a Days Inn. Next day, we wake up to realize we spent all our money on a new flight to get to Atlanta so we have no money for food or anything. We get to the venue, turns out we are not on the main stage and we got moved to the pavilion. A tire blows up in my Dad’s face. Rafe breaks his finger. I fall in the mud in my white jacket. Pooring rain! Will’s guitar almost broke. The show got postponed due to thunder and lightning: thunder and lightning! Rafe: They had to break my finger back into place. Will: Two words. Band. Bonding.

WHAT COUNTRY OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.A. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A SHOW IN?

Nick: Brazil. Will: It’s a continent, but Europe. But country? France.

TO END, WE HAVE FAN QUESTIONS FOR YOU! NTB: Lets do it!

@alexismarzo asks: HOW DO YOU GUYS FEEL WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE FROM SHOWS WHEN YOU WERE JUST STARTING OUT, TO WHEN YOU SEE THEM NOW?

Nick: To be completely honest with you, I tear up. It just shows how amazing our supporters are. They mean the world to us. It makes me happy to go, “Oh my gosh, these guys were out Broadway Bound when we first started out. Now they’re here at the Paramount.” It just blows my mind. It warms my heart. It makes me go, “We must be doing something right.” Then it makes me go, “They’re doing something right, by putting a huge smile on our faces.” On twitter, in person, they just know.

@sarapatchkids_ asks: HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH ALL THE EXPANDING OF THE BAND?

Nick: It’s completely different. It difficult in the fact that Rafe, Will, and myself go to school. We do a show, then the next morning I had to wake up to take my SATs. Going to San Diego one night, then the next day I need to be in New York to do an on-site with a college. It’s crazy. But we make it work. It’s Hannah Montana.

Ania Tomicka ______

Art is my absolute passion and love. I started when I was little in Poland. At 9 years old I moved to Italy with my parents and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember if it was here that I started to really want to do this forever, or if was just part of me. Every child draws and paints, I am not special, I just continued and I started to learn and to take it seriously. Now I live in Florence in a small studio apartment and I am surrounded by great masters, amazing museums, and inspiration that makes me want to never stop learning about art.

_______________ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Ania.Tomicka.Art INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/ponyania TUMBLR: http://aniatomicka.tumblr.com/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Aniuccia

ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC THEMES THAT YOU LIKE TO EXPLORE IN YOUR ART WORK?

I like to express myself and explore my sensations. Melancholy is the one that wins every time, but I don’t think it is a bad or sad thing; I am sure that some people can relate to the fact that sometimes you can be happy when you have this feeling.

IS THERE ANYTHING OR ANYONE THAT INSPIRES YOU AND YOUR WORK?

I am inspired by everything I see during the day. I browse a lot of images on the internet every day, I listen to a lot of music and read books. Well... I wish I had time to do it more often. I am stuck at the halfway point of the last book of “The Songs of Ice and Fire”, and I have plenty of others to read. So basically everything around me can be inspiring. Also, I love to read stories from the lives of successful people, artists or not, to push myself to work harder every day.

“I am not schematic and organized. I like to think that the painting is making itself.”

A LOT OF YOUR WORK REVOLVES AROUND PORTRAITURE. IS THERE A SPECIFIC REASON WHY YOU ARE DRAWN TO THIS STYLE?

Portraiture is one of the things I love most in art, but I want to explore new things and learn as much as I can.

HOW DO YOU LIKE TO APPROACH YOUR WORK / PROJECTS?

I start with an idea and with a very rough sketch. I transform the sketch into a simple drawing that I transfer to a grounded canvas or piece of wood. Simple drawing because I only draw the face, the rest will come at the end of the process, or in the middle. I love to see how my paintings will evolve. I don’t like to have everything preset; I am not schematic and organized. I like to think that the painting is making itself. I usually do 3-4 under-painting layers with titanium white and raw sienna, (the best and the funniest part), and then I start to put colors. It’s a slow process of glazing and changing ideas.

YOU SEEM TO CONSTANTLY BE WORKING AND PRODUCING WORK AND SHARING IT ONLINE WITH PEOPLE. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT HELPS YOU TO KEEP THAT MOTIVATION TO CONTINUE CREATING CONSISTENTLY?

Well yes. The people are the ones that help me most. When someone tells me that I inspire him or her I just want to create more and better every day. So I am really thankful for all those that follows me and always have a kind word.

YOU’VE EXPLORED MULTIPLE MEDIUMS AND MATERIALS FOR YOUR CREATIONS, BUT IS THERE ONE IN PARTICULAR THAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE? WHAT’S SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD INSIST THAT SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD TRY?

Oil is my favorite medium, but I also adore watercolours! I really need to try them out more. Also, after I did my Inktober sketches for 31 days in a row I discovered inks, now I am learning how to use them properly.

SOME OF YOUR ARTWORK HAS BEEN USED AS, OR HAS INSPIRED TATTOOS. YOU HAVE EVEN BEEN FEATURED IN TATTOO PUBLICATIONS. HOW DOES IT FEEL WHEN YOU ARE SENT THESE IMAGES OF SOMEONE PERMANENTLY PRINTING YOUR ART ON THEMSELVES? Oh, it’s an amazing sensation!!! I just want to hug everyone that has a tattoo with my artwork and thank him or her for loving my art.

How will you be spending the holiday season? Eating! And working on my upcoming shows :) Also, I will play Final Fantasy XIV a lot I believe.

In pursuit of art and music Do you want to join our team? You can contact us at fleshbonemagazine@gmail.com with your application.