Fourculture issue 22

ISSUE TWENTY TWO | JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016

MATT MONDANILE COURTESY TIER MARY OCHER PUNK OUT FROM BERLIN TO LA FRANTZYFACE CLOTHING

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get connected

a word from the editor

I

hate to be clichĂŠ, but sometimes we just have to be clichĂŠ. Humans are suckers for a brand new day. I see the subtle murmuring from realists having a moment about New Years just being another day. They aren't wrong. It is! It's one day after another in our lives and the only thing that makes it any different are people insisting that today is a special day.

Such is life! If you do not make the moment a special one then it is just another moment, same as all the other moments. That is why the year is what you make it. Years can suck, but your perception can make them suck even more.

I am the sucker for a brand new day. I am most pleased to be able to put a chunk of time behind me and move forward to a new chunk of time. I fully realize the last chunk

of time is no different than the upcoming chunk, but it feels so refreshing to be able to break away and will myself to go at this chunk differently. We humans are peculiar that way.

When we are held down by history our future is hindered.

When we pretend that it's been put into a box then we can go forward with a more ambitious spirit. Nothing has really changed. Yesterday goes dark the moment that it becomes yesterday, yet it doesn't go dark in our minds until we make it so.

The past is dead and it is gone. You can start a new day whenever you feel like it. It just feels so much more fun to do it with the entire planet behind you doing the same thing.

Fireworks, shiny fabulous hats, and all.

May you find your heart in art for this brand new day.

Follow The Artist D: @theArtistD

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW ASHLEY

features Courtesy Tier: Fate. Kismet.

Serendipity. Destiny............ 6 “A Bookshelf of Pieces for One Song” A Conversation with Matt Mondanile..................12 From Berlin to LA.............. 18 Strange Days: Opening Doors with Tim Muddiman.......... 22 The Power of Music: A Conversation with Michael McCarron of Punk Out....................... 31 Mary Ocher + Your Government, Reality is Stranger than Science Fiction................. 39 Face Up: A Conversation with Frantz Fornalle of FrantzyFace Clothing.... 42 Paris.................................. 49

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Fate. Kismet. Serendipity. Destiny.

BY M A RGUER ITE O’CO NNELL PHOTOG R A PH Y BY SA M I O’K EEFE www.fourculture.com 7

F

ate. Kismet. Serendipity. Destiny. These words are used to explain those remarkable moments when things just come together, and a situation works out as if simply meant to be. They also perfectly describe the amazing year that just unfolded for Courtesy Tier – an exciting and rapidly rising garage blues-rock trio out of Brooklyn.

Courtesy Tier serve up a unique blend of old-school rock and heavy southern blues, intermixed with elements from the diverse musical influences of band members Omer Leibovitz (guitar/vocals), Layton Weedeman (drums), and Alex Picca (bass); influences that stretch from the Middle East, to the American South, and New Jersey. Leibovitz spent most of his childhood in Israel and West Africa, playing the hand drum and listening to traditional music with his grandfather, before moving to New Jersey. Weedeman grew up in a music-minded family in the NJ suburbs of Philadelphia, attending concerts by a diverse group of bands that included Sonic Youth, Stereolab, and The Roots. The two met while studying at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and became friends. After college they moved to

Brooklyn, started Courtesy Tier, and as a duo became known locally for their intense and energetic shows.

Meanwhile Picca, who developed a love of bluegrassstyle harmony while growing up in the South, was also in Brooklyn and playing bass for another band. The three men eventually became friends after Picca and Leibovitz both took jobs building guitars for Roger Sadowsky and connected over daily discussions about music. Then last January the three men decided to play for one show in Brooklyn, just for fun, and the stars aligned. That one show led to an invitation to play at SXSW2015, a short tour on the drive down, and a chance meeting with now-band manager, Sandy Roberton. The rest, as they say, is history.

Little Rock, their recently released three-track EP (on Beverly Martel Records) showcases Courtesy Tier’s fresh and edgy vibe. To build on the buzz that their live shows and new music have generated, the trio plans to record a new EP before heading out on tour and playing shows at SXSW2016. Omer Leibovitz recently took some time to tell me about the past year and the trio’s future plans.

When did you learn to play guitar?

I started playing my friend’s guitars when I was around 10 or 11 years old. The school I attended in Israel had a really good music program and for a few years I took some music theory and guitar lessons there using a friend’s classical guitar. I didn’t reThe band identifies an interesting mix ally even touch an electric guitar until later. of sonic influences stemming from your diverse backgrounds. Tell me about where At Berklee School of Music, did you you grew up and how you got to Brooklyn? focus primarily on performance or on I was born in Israel. And I lived there production?

I definitely focused on guitar initially, but until I was 7 or 8 years old. Then I lived in West Africa until I was about 12 years old. eventually majored in audio engineering But Israel was always home and I spent and production. I was at Berklee because summers there, staying for 2-3 months at a I wanted to do audio engineering and time. When I was around 13 or 14 years old, production.

I moved to New Jersey and I continued to spend every summer in Israel until I went to You met Layton while studying at Berkcollege at Berklee School of Music in Boston. lee and started playing gigs together.

I moved to Brooklyn after attending Berklee. And now you play guitar and sing in Courtesy Tier. Did you always know you Tell me when you realized you had an wanted to perform? interest in music. Did you take lessons Yeah. I was always performing. I was in of any sort? bands in high school, but I was a little shyer To be honest, I can’t remember a time back then and never played a real show when I didn’t have an interest in music. with any of them. We just played in the Probably my earliest memories are of my garage, fulfilling that rock-n-roll high school grandfather — my mom’s dad — giving me daydream of playing in a band. As soon a hand drum and learning to play it. And as I got to Berklee I met Layton through a of listening to music in his car — he listens mutual friend and we started hanging out to very Middle Eastern type music — and together all the time, listening to records — going to a Klezmer Festival near his home they introduced me to jazz music — and every year. So yeah, I’ve always been inter- it was just an exciting environment. And because I’m a gung-ho kind of person, I ested in music. pushed them to start jamming and playing, Courtesy Tier has been described as a blues-driven-garage-rock band. Is that accurate?

Yes, to an extent. I think that’s sort of the short, go-to answer for a general description of our vibe.

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just to see what happened. And when I saw other people doing little shows around town I was like, “Wow, we can do that.” So I just went out and started getting us little shows.

And from there we just kept playing.

Was that when you started playing as Courtesy Tier?

No [laughs], that came later. At Berklee we were playing in a band that was embarrassingly called WORD. — with a period at the end [laughs]. We were trying to be really ambitious, doing improvisational-based music. It was pretty out there for kids our age.

At that point I wrote a lot of songs, but I never sang and I really had no interest in being the front person. That band eventually grew into a seven-piece band with horns and all the ridiculous stuff that happens when you are in music school [laughs]. It was fun and a good experience.

So you and Layton went from playing in a seven-piece band at Berklee to forming the duo, Courtesy Tier in New York. How long did you and Layton play as a duo?

We were a duo for four or five years.

It was sort of an on/off kind of thing for a while. Somewhere in the middle of that time we took a little bit of a break — probably for about a year or so.

Why did you decide to become a trio?

Well, we always wanted to do a trio.

We never actually made a conscious decision to be a duo. We moved to Brook-

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lyn after college as a three-piece, with one of my best friends from high school playing bass. But he was a guitar player at heart who didn’t like living in New York City and he eventually moved on to do his own thing.

Then it was just the two of us and we tried playing with a few other friends, but it just never clicked. We still had a lot of work to do before we could really manage a band, playing with people we weren’t as familiar with.

Layton and I were really comfortable playing together, which was good because I was just starting to sing and it was going to take someone with patience, who wasn’t like, “Whoa, this sucks. What am I doing here with you [laughs]?” And during the time when we were figuring it all out, we came up with creative ways to fill out the low end. But we always wanted to have a bass player. We thought if we worked hard and got good enough someone would show up and want to play.

How did you meet Alex?

I first met Alex when I booked his old band, The Press, to play at one of our first shows as a duo in Brooklyn. We met again a few years later when we were both building guitars for Sadowsky Guitars. Alex’s bench was right next to mine and we talked a lot about music. Inevitably we started connecting.

When did the three of you start playing together?

We have been a trio for a little bit less than a year. We had only played one show with Alex when we were asked to play at SXSW2015. And Alex had never played SXSW before so it was kind of just a last minute decision like, “Yeah, let’s just do it and have a good time. And since we’re going, let’s book a little tour and drive down there.” It was a spur of the moment decision.

And is this the tour that went through Little Rock, giving a name to your recent single and just released EP? Yeah. [laughs] For all of us, it was just such a combination of life situations coming together at that moment in time. Layton and I hadn’t been playing as much — we had gotten a little tired and slowed down. I had just ended a six-year relationship and was living as an adult on my own for pretty much the first time [laughs]. Alex had opened a bicycle shop and sort of retired from playing music.

He wasn’t planning on really playing again except for maybe with friends or for fun.

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None of us were planning on this. We really thought we’d play that one show together in Brooklyn, just for fun. But all of a sudden we ended up touring and playing shows at SXSW. And then at our last show at SXSW, on the last day of the festival, we were lucky enough to meet Sandy Roberton — a really wonderful human being who also happens to manage bands. I mean, after the show we were like, “Cool! That was a great vacation, let’s go home.” But it just so happened that when Sandy stopped for breakfast on his way to catch his plane back to London, he heard us playing from down the block. It caught his ear so he came in, watched the rest of our set, and then talked to us afterwards. He is the one that actually plotted and facilitated the recording of our new EP. And we wrote the song “Little Rock” after we met him, when we realized how everything was changing and that we were actually going to do this thing.

Do you have any plans to tour now that the EP is out?

We definitely plan to tour, but I think we might wait until closer to SXSW2016.

Maybe spend two weeks touring around the East Coast and down South, play SXSW, and then on the way back play some more shows in the central US. We are also getting ready to record a few more songs in the next month or so — for a new EP. Will you be recording in Austin again or somewhere closer to home?

No, I think that we are going to record with a producer up here that I’m really excited about working with. I can’t really say anything about it officially yet, but it will be amazing when we can share it.

What are you listening to today — or what is on your favorites play list?

Now that’s the tough question. I’ve been listening a lot of soul music. I’ve found myI love when things just kind of work out self goingtoback to soul and R&B classics. I like that. How did you decide to record can’t think of a specific track at the moment. the EP in Austin?

Our manager Sandy thought we would What’s the last album that you listened to? fit well with one of the producers in Austin That’s a little hard to admit because it is that he also manages, Chris “Frenchie” probably like Adele or something [laughs].

Smith. I was excited when he suggested we work with Chris, as he as produced several I have no problem with that. I love Adele albums that I really like. So we went to Austin [laughs]. and recorded 3 songs over the course of 4 or [Laughs] Okay, since you busted me, 5 days Then Chris mixed those songs and the last, last thing I listened to was Adele’s that’s Little Rock, the EP we just released. new record because I had to check it out.

And I was also revisiting some Curtis MayHow has adding a third member affected field stuff. And there are some local artists the band’s creative process? that I’m a fan of — one local singer/songWe have a few methods for writing our writer, Jessi Robertson, is one of my favormusic, although I usually write all the lyr- ites — I listen to her music at least once ics. My favorite sort of creative process is a week. And I’m producing a record right when I bring in a frame of a song - some now for a guy who goes by “Doghouse” chord structures and my main idea, with Riley and I think when the record is finmaybe some words - and then we all play ished it’s going to be really exciting. So I’m around with it until the bass and drums fall listening to a lot of his stuff right now. into their own idea or style. Then I get to pull the rug out from underneath myself as What are your favorite things – the things far as the original guitar part that I started you wouldn’t want to live without? with, and reapproach it based on what I have an old Guild Guitar that I’ve had Layton and Alex are playing, and rewrite it since I was 16 years old. I do most of my to fit with that. Other times I’ll just bring in a writing on it and I’ve done so much personsong and when we play it, everything pretty al work on it — replacing the frets and stuff much works. And then other times we write — that it is absolutely my most dear thing. songs in a fully collaborative process where I would have to have it. Also, my iPhone we just jam and fall on something cool, and because don’t we all lose our minds when I’ll just kind of start mumbling and coming we lose our phones [laughs]? And I’d want up with words on the spot, and we write the a copy of my favorite book, East of Eden, entire song together. because it’s like a Bible for me and I like to refer back to it sometimes.

www.courtesytier.com

Frank Cotolo’s “Man of La Mantra” is now available on Amazon

A man on the brink of great success narrates a postmodern and abbreviated rendering of Don Quixote de la Mancha, set mostly in Brazil, with rambunctious humor during his personal journey for beauty and purpose.

PRO CEE DS S UPP ORT FOU RCU LTU RE

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“A Bookshelf of Pieces for One Song” A Conversation with MATT MONDANILE

BY N A D I A SAYS PHOTOG R A PH Y BY M E A LLI E I N

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Ducktails’ last album, St. Catherine, dropped recently on Domino Records following The Flower Lane two years earlier. Both albums are easy going dreamy pop-rock. You can hear hints of Belle and Sebastian in there, Sebadoh or Tahiti 80 — with a psychedelic twist. The band is also known for its cool videos and vocal featurings, and you can find them regularly tour America, Europe and Asia.

Meallie In and I met the band’s frontman Matt Mondanile in Berlin just before a show. We had an interesting chat about pretty much everything worthwhile in life: music (of course), photography, art, romantic love, the world, and even pizza.

I saw your video Against The Clock. I watched it last night, it was fun. I liked it. When you compose, do you do that alone? How does it work?

Yeah, I do that. I’ll make a riff on guitar, cord progression, and I’ll layer things over that. That's exactly how I make music.

really write in advance. If I want to make something, I kind of just start to record it and I take it from there. That's writing for me. So improvisation is basically making something out of nothing...but if you’re recording it, then you can save it, and you can keep working on it so it's kind of nice. I don't necessarily take the guitar and write a song.

You’re like a one-man band composer.

Sometimes I do, but it's nicer to capture Yeah, or I make music with my band what you're doing at the moment so you mates and we write together, but that's don't forget it. Composition and improvisation are the same to me. similar.

And can it happen that you meet up with your band mates and you guys jam and something comes out of it?

That happens a lot. Yeah.

Is it more written or is it more improv?

I don't really know the difference between those things because for me it's like I don't

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writing something right there and recording it as I'm writing it.

So sometimes you take pieces and put them together...when you make these pieces, you already have in mind how you're going to put them together? Or do you have a library of pieces to pick and choose from?

Well, I think I make the pieces for the one song so it's not like a library that I can just choose from. It's more like a tiny library...a bookshelf of pieces for one song...and it's You don't wake up one day like "oh, I like I go through these pieces and then see have this song" and then get on the where they fit. guitar and write it?

Sometimes that happens but most of And you have two bands (Ducktails and the time I tell myself I'm gonna get up and Real Estate). How do you choose what go to my studio and I’m gonna work on goes to one band and what goes to the music. And either I'm working on something other?

I’ve already recorded and adding to that, or I don't really know. Most of the time I

write for Ducktails. The songs that I don't You run a label and you have another think work for me, I would save them for band. You spend a lot of time in your Real Estate. studio... so you do music 24/7! Do you have time for anything else?

Do you make a stylistic difference?

I like taking pictures, I do photography.

No. Not really, no.

(Pointing to a Leica camera on the table) You think it's not gonna fit if you perform Is that yours? it on stage...?

Yeah, it’s my camera. I just got it! I also No, well when I try this live with the like going to the gym and working out, group, we meet for band practice, and we're running. I play tennis sometimes and basworking on new material, it's clearer how it ketball. I like seeing music, like concerts, or will be perceived. For example we're playing going to art shows. new songs on the road, and now I will have to go back, record vocals for these songs. Is there any show you’ve seen recently But I have been singing a lot, so now I have that you liked? a better idea how to sing it for the recording.

Well, my friend Jenny in LA runs a gallery called "Jenny's", and she had a And how do you choose the people you show with this artist Richard Hawkins. And invite... are they friends? that was cool.

It's mostly friends. Yeah.

What kind of art was it?

And does it happen that you invite Collage with clay, hanging like paintings someone and then you're like "uh, I don't on the wall. And I liked my friend’s work, her like it". curation.

Hmm...no, most of the time it works out.

Beside music and your hobbies, is there anything you would like to do for work one day?

I guess I’d like to do photography. That would be cool, but I’d also like to open a music school, and a pizza shop.

Do you cook?

No, but I know what a good pizza can taste like and I can get someone to try and make it...eventually, down the line.

And that school you want to do, it’s for kids, right? How is that going?

It's non-existent at the moment. I just think about it in my head, but I have people, teachers, in mind. I even have a curriculum in mind. I just have to find the place where I can do it.

What kind of music school do you want?

Like a traditional one?

No, it's non-traditional. It's more about groups, cooperation, young people in groups learning how to make music together without having the ego getting involved. Doesn't www.fourculture.com 15

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matter how good of a musician you are, it’s not about technical ability. It's just about how you can create together, getting emotions involved, taking constructive criticism well, and working well together as a group to create something.

So it would be for kids who already know a little bit about music?

No, they don't have to know anything, or they can be really talented...it doesn't really matter. I think, mostly it would be for kids who have trouble in school and need some kind of creative outlet to express themselves. There are a lot of kids who feel they don't know how to do that really, or find that. So it’d be trying to help people like that, kindergarten to ninth grade, freshman year in high school. I feel later in high school it works itself out, it’s before that they need a little bit of help maybe.

Sounds great! And as for your other passion, photography, what kind would you be into?

Not fashion. Photojournalism is cool, documentary...but I also like landscape photography or portraits. A mixture of all of those is nice.

Have you been taking pictures on tour?

Oh yes. I put them on my computer and I’ll look at them eventually and delete the bad ones. I want to take photos of my car when I get back to LA, and then print them and frame them.

Getting back to music, how do you get inspired?

Mostly listening to other music inspires me. Recently I listened to The Cure, a lot.

This record, called Disintegration, and the first song called “Plainsong”. I like the production of it. A lot of time the production influences me because I listen to how it is made, and I try to figure out how I can make things like that.

Do you get inspiration from people around you too?

Yeah...The things people say during a conversation, I like experiences, I get inspiration from walking around, or being in a new place, looking at the window, cars.

I like being hangover. That's inspiring to me. Very much so, actually. Like when you stay up late and you feel bad. It's kind of a

beautiful feeling sometimes. Unless you I just think there is less of a platform to feel really bad... that's not good. be discovered, it might be overpopulation of music, like too much music on the internet; So what do you need to feel bad, but not but that's not necessarily true. It might be a too bad? little bit more isolating of a world, and more Drinking a lot, and then drinking a little divided, there's less sense of community rebit of water. You'll be good. ally than there was when I started making music.

Your last album, well, the previous one as well, is about love. What would you Do you think music and art can make the describe as romantic? world a better place?

Like taking a nice walk, going to see a Sure, yeah. Definitely. movie, going for a nice dinner...normal kind of date stuff.

Everywhere, for everybody?

Yes! So things you see in romantic comedies?

That's really romantic to me. Romantic Do you think everybody should make comedies, yeah. Annie Hall, Woody Allen, art?

No. I really appreciate people that don't French movies... Like A Man and a Woman. make art but are fans of art. Most of my That's a great romantic film. Anything can be romantic to me, really. If it is just nice, friends are musicians or artists but I also apif it is just a good time that you're having. preciate people that just decide not to make I don't think it has to be so strict, typical. It anything and work alongside artists. can be anything, any sort of thing, getting a parking ticket can be romantic if you're with So you disagree with Marx? someone you really like.

What, he thinks everybody should make art?

Do you feel the world can still afford to be romantic?

He thinks everybody should have a Yes! For sure! You have to try being creative outlet. romantic or something.

But that's different. It can be...making food.

I guess he's kind of right... but not Do you think world can be saved by love necessarily, some people don't need to or romantic love?

No, I don't think so. I don't think the create, really. world can be saved, period.

What do you wish for in 2016? For yourself first.

You think we’re doomed?

I wish to follow through with any project Definitely. We're lucky to be alive now.

But our children's children’s world will be that I plan to do. screwed.

So the pizza, the kids school...

How so?

Making albums, photography...

The world will be much harder to live in then — like climate changes and just the Everything? way this world is going in, less safe, much Everything. more dangerous. And harder to make it yourself, you know. I think it’s even harder Do you have a schedule? for musicians now to become successful.

Yeah, sure.

When I made music earlier on, it was easy for me to see the path and the direction I should take, and I think now it's a bit harder. And for the world?

I hope the world has figured itself out.

Because there are too many people making music?

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BY M A RGUER ITE O’CO NNELL

Berlin, Germany, and Los Angeles, California, are sister cities; a connection created in 1967 to encourage relationships and cooperation through cultural, intellectual, commercial, and social exchange. The resulting flow of people and ideas through the creative communities of Berlin and LA generated a strong, expansive, and permeable bond between them. This link fostered the continued, unimpeded development of the unique élan and cultural identity of each city, while advancing their mutual rise as cultural hype capitals – Berlin in Europe and Los Angeles in the States. Today both cities are at the forefront of innovation and developing trends in art, media, and music. And From Berlin to LA, an upcoming, two-day electronic music event, will showcase how the growing bond between electronic artists extends beyond reciprocal tour dates, as musicians exchange tech and scene innovation and absorb each other’s culture.

From Berlin to LA is a project presented by Your Mom’s Agency of Berlin, in partnership with the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles, Raumfeld, and Bold Communication & Marketing, LA. With something for every electronic music enthusiast, the schedule offers artist-led workshops and expert panels on a wide-range of topics that include digital production, digital vocal treatment, synthesizer customization, and projections. There will also be an afternoon of family-friendly events as well as live shows, DJ sets, and concerts by participating artists. Taking place at several Los Angeles venues on February 5th and 6th, entry to all From Berlin to LA events is free with registration.

The musicians and technicians at From Berlin to LA are on the cutting edge of Berlin-influenced electronic music - electronica new beats, house, techno, and experimental – and will be on hand to share some of the secrets behind their creative process. In advance of this exciting event, Fourculture asked some of these artists their thoughts about music and culture in Berlin and LA. 18 www.fourculture.com

DERSU

S A N N A C A V A ZO CA LI ST

ER DJ / PR OD UC ER / DE SI GN

sic, IN BERLIN, I AM ... Part .of a mu culture, and art collective at VICE, LA, I AM ... The design director ening, IN list g, rin plo Ex ...

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IS ... The WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LA THE ENERGY IN LA FEELS ... ed that house beautiful people, the spe Convoluted. oration, mixing music is growing, the coldlab IN ME SA E TH E AR sert festivals, AT de TH S an THING the forest s, dia me of g thin No ... ...

E AR BERLIN AND LA golden-hour dance parties.

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S ... Exciting THE ENERGY IN LA FEdEL yet disconnectand unknown, connecte foot. ed, frantic in cars, grounded on E SAME IN THINGS THAT ARE TH ... The love for BERLIN AND LA ARE op -air parties, good house music, the ,en opportunity the ven dri ely both are creativ to grow and learn.

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E AR LA D BERLIN AN club scene tty in LA, the curfews, the shiortatio in LA. nsp and lack of public tra d the hanppy people an r But the sun all yea make up for it in ways.

PR OD UC ER / DJ / VO

DJ R OBO T KOC H

PROD UCER / COMP OSER WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BERLIN IS ... You can ride your bike everywhere and don’t need a car. There are lots of great and rather inexpensive places to eat.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LA IS ... You can be in the desert in 2 hours and feel like you’re alone on the moon. Or drive up the coast and see whales and the most stunning landscapes or watch hummingbirds as you pluck an orange in your garden.

There is lots of synchronicity happening in L.A. THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME IN BERLIN AND LA ARE ... There is lots of creativity in both places.

THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN BERLIN AND LA ARE ... Different places have different energies. You either resonate with that energy or you don’t. It wouldn’t be fair to compare Berlin and LA because they both are so different and unique. Personally, I feel more inspired in LA right now. I still like Berlin, but after 13 years it didn’t inspire me that much anymore.

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K A TI E O TR O

DJ / PR OD UC ER

rrounded by the IN BERLIN, I AM ... Su sic industry in forefront of the electronanicdmu bbers. clu terms of DJs, venues, . LA attracts some LU CK Y PA UL IN LA, I AM ... At home ople in pe e ativ cre st mo d an t les coo of the MU SIC IAN /PR OD UC ER it an exciting place the world, which makesrso nal studio is and to be. It’s where my pean art e ist.

IN BERLIN, I AM … The sam where my roots lie as free e mor little a feel person. I just UNDS MORE ... afford to ier eas IN BERLIN, MUSIC SO it’s And ent. erim to exp ve. ssi gre pro d an nd ou in rgr er Unde to live in Berlin. I move slow ....

RE MO DS UN SO Berlin, too.

SIC IN LA, MU sh. fre d an ing com Up LA, I AM … A little more bs. IN clu sient. ur -ho 24 ...

IS S RD essionally minded, more tran WO 3 prof IN BERLIN e mak and ghts parties. I have faster thou LA IN 3 WORDS IS ... Hills house faster decisions. ...

IS IN RL BE T OU WHAT I LIKE AB always something IN BERLIN, MUSIC FEELS MORE …

The energy. There is iting going on.

Raw. really unique and exc IN LA, MUSIC FEELS MORE …

IS ... The WHAT I LIKE ABOUTapLA Polished. proach to living, sunshine, the healthy le wh re. the live o op pe and the focused S ...

THE ENERGY IN BERLIN FEEL y.

Freeing & vibe ELS ... Like THE ENERGY IN LA FE right in front of is d an ble ssi anything is po you for the taking.

E SAME IN THINGS THAT ARE TH ... You can BERLIN AND LA AREc if you know usi find mind blowing m where to look.

FERENT IN THINGS THAT ARE DIF I’ve lived in ...

E AR LA D BERLIN AN pare public com many places so I always in reminds erl . B city ch transportation in ea easy to bik e, walk, me of NYC, where it’s y to get around. or take a bus or subwaecause, although LA reminds me of Ibiza bin both cities, you there is a bus system t around. You could really need a car to gesing Persons song walk, but like the Mis in LA”. says, “Nobody walks 20 www.fourculture.com

MOR ELIA N

DJ / PROD UCER IN BERLIN, I AM ... Free of any ties.

IN LA, I AM ... Rooted deeply.

IN BERLIN, MUSIC FEELS MORE ...

Penetrating, energizing.

IN LA, MUSIC FEELS MORE .... Deep, spiritual.

BERLIN IN 3 WORDS IS ... Simple clean canvas.

LA IN 3 WORDS IS ... Land of endless-possibilities.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BERLIN IS ...

I can re-invent and restart.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LA IS ... The endless possibilities, sunshine, nature, and food!

THE ENERGY IN BERLIN FEELS ...

Complacent, relaxed, party vibes.

THE ENERGY IN LA FEELS ... Hustle-y yet, also relaxed.

THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME IN BERLIN AND LA ARE ... The newness, still a place that is building in some ways, unlike New York.

THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT IN BERLIN AND LA ARE ... The weather, the food, the people, the energy!

ZE RN EL L & SO N DJ / VIN YL EX PE RT

S IM O N N E JO N E S SI NG

ER / SO NG W RI TE R/ PR OD UC ER

PE RE RA EL SE WH ER E SIN GE R / SO NG WR ITE R / PR OD UC ER

IN BERLIN, I AM ... Elsewhere.

IN LA, I AM ... also Elsewhere.

BERLIN IN 3 WORDS IS ... Not like London.

THE ENERGY IN BERLIN FEELS Like a mini-metropolis. It’s a timeless... safe-haven for free-thinking experimentalists. It’s a great place to put down your roots, but it’s importa to get away often in order to apprecint the things we often take for granted.ate We are really lucky to live there.

IN BERLIN, I AM ... An explorer of the unknown.

IN LA, I AM ... I am nostalgic for the past.

IN BERLIN, MUSIC FEELS MO RE ...

Limitless IN LA, MUSIC FEELS MORE ....

Transient.

BERLIN IN 3 WORDS Beautiful. Melancholy. IS ... Tragic.

LA in 3 words is ... Blinding. Ho llow.

Grand.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT IN IS ...

That people aren’t afraidBEtoRL be who they are: weird, disagreeabexactly le, lost.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LA IS ...

That people give only the best of thems When they are lost, they fake it elves. until they make it or become it.

THE ENERGY IN BERLIN FEEL S ...

Transformative.

THE ENERGY IN LA FEELS ...

Irresolute.

THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME BERLIN AND LA ARE ... Peop IN guarded when threatened by divle can be aware that it is where they draw ersity, yet beauty and strength.

THINGS THAT ARE DIF RENT IN BERLIN AND LA ARE ...FE Berlin is defined by its changes, whereas L.A to transform people’s reality. . uses change

IN LA, I AM ... Father, DJ, Record Collector, & Entrepreneur.

IN LA, MUSIC SOUNDS/FEELS MORE....

“Exciting and New.” L.A. IN 3 WORDS IS ... Sunny. Open.

Laid-Back.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT LA IS ... The diverseness of the party scene. At any given time you can have 3 different eras of party-goers on the dance floor at the same time: 80’s Disco Head, 90’s Raver, & The 2000 Hipster Kids.

THE ENERGY IN LA FEELS ... A right now. The acts that have comeTen through LA in the last 5 months hav been nothing short of Amazing. e THINGS THAT ARE THE SAME BERLIN AND LA ARE ... The loveINof dance music.

THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT BERLIN AND LA ARE ... The foodIN weather, & legit late-night clubs. , the

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BY A NN M A R I E PA PA N AGNOSTOU

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2016 is the year that Tim Muddiman & The Strange hope to make their mark on the alternative/indie scene…but who is Tim Muddiman?

Well…when he’s not touring the world with Gary Numan, playing guitar with Pop Will Eat Itself or producing and remixing tracks for other artists, he actually spends his time throwing all his remaining energy into latest project, Tim Muddiman & The Strange.

Here he steps into the role of frontman, and backed up by Adam Gammage, Daniel Battison and Sam Harvey, you get the feeling this is where an artist of his calibre belongs.

We were first introduced to Tim Muddiman & The Strange last spring with the release of first single “Wildwood Stone”, a track that quickly gained fans and got the international blogs buzzing. The momentum continued in the fall with two more singles, “Rolling Stone” and “Your Drugs”. Tim not only wrote and produced these two dark, gritty anthems, but he also co-directed the striking videos, which reflect and compliment the emotional textures in each song.

Tim’s “dedicated love of sound” has contributed to his strong creative vision for debut album Paradise Runs Deeper. He has previously dabbled in industrial, rockabilly and blues and considers his current sound to be something unique and fresh…a combination of genres.

As we begin 2016, Paradise Runs Deeper is in the production stage and will be released via the PledgeMusic platform. The campaign is in progress with only 440 copies of the album available. There’s still time to grab the album though as well as some of the amazing perks that Tim has lined up. This is a guy who’s in control of his artistic direction and we really like what he’s shown us so far.

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You’re a long-time member of Gary Numan’s band, an established producer, a respected session musician and a member of the legendary alternative act, Pop Will Eat Itself. How is this latest endeavor different musically from what you’ve dabbled in before?

The music and artistic direction and ambition is solely my own. I adore playing with the above mentioned bands but this is mine. It’s me that’s doing things my way. I’ve learned a lot from playing with such iconic acts and the benchmark is high...that’s either healthy or unobtainable. I’m going to find out either way.

loop and then either play a groove on the bass guitar or the guitar. The rest is just following the journey. I usually have to think before I start something so at least there is something to aim for, but it always goes on its own journey. Having a good starting point always helps the mood and opens up endless possibilities.

What would you describe as the highlight of your musical career so far?

The first time I rehearsed “Cars” with Gary Numan. I felt like a kid. It was a really great feeling. The other was my band playing at The Forum in support of Gary a few weeks ago. There is our own Did you have a clear idea of what musi- benchmark. cal direction you wanted to take when you began your career? Or is it some- You’re currently putting the finishing thing that evolved over time? touches on your debut album, Paradise 100% an evolving experience. I’ve Runs Deeper. Do you have a favorite been a musical obsessive since I could talk track? Is there a theme to this album? and walk as child. I’ve explored in depth Not a massive theme I would say. most genres and subcultures. I found the However, I can clearly hear my influencmajority appealing at one time or other es. My favourite track changes each time during my journey with music. I know I adore I produce the next one. Whichever one rockabilly, powerful songs, thick grooves, I’m working on feels like the best at the blues music but very little rock music. time. Lyrically, it’s about my inspirations, The rock music that I do like would imagination the present and also the past. be bands like NIN and anyone who has been innovative with the genre. Most I What are your thoughts on the digital find a little predictable and way too macho age of music and streaming services so I gave myself clear boundaries when like Apple Music and Spotify? writing my own music. There is an eclectic I change my mind about this often. mixture in every song.

Right now I’m really facing the reality of mass music, radio station styles, trends, What artists had a significant impact genre-specific thinkers and the digital age. on you and your developing musical I‘m face to face with what fame means in tastes? Are there any current artists this modern age. I’m faced with the fact or songs that you find inspiring or that there is a whole generation of people exciting? out there that are not used to paying for To list a few on impacting order would music. I spent so many years spending be Tom Waits, Nick Cave, The Stray Cats, every penny I had on records and CDs Elvis, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Hank and following bands and genres. I think Williams III, The Smiths, Fleetwood Mac, that has passed a little with streaming NIN, Public Enemy, NWA, early 80’s elec- because everything is so accessible and tro, Nirvana, Butthole Surfers, Prince and dispensable. I feel like it has had a negaBjörk. There are obviously loads more tive effect on the creation of music within but these are the first that spring to mind. subcultures and what the mainstream now There are not an awful lot of current artists demands. I’m confused by it all. that I really get a feeling from. I love what However, for artists not to be paid is FKA Twiggs is doing and I am also a huge not right at all...but with so much music fan of Fever Ray. out there and with how easy it is to now Music has always been about feeling release music I don’t know what the fuand spirit and ture holds. Having a virtual jukebox on I don’t hear that spark so often. I may- your phone is no doubt fantastic for music be prefer exploring genres and artists of lovers but for artists to sustain a career the past more than what’s being pumped and live by their art and music, it is very out at the moment. difficult.

What is your creative process like? You’ve chosen the PledgeMusic platform How does a Tim Muddiman song come to release your new album. What makes crowdfunding so appealing? to life?

Well, I’ve picked up a few fans from Quickly. I usually start with a drum 26 www.fourculture.com

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playing with Gary and Pop Will Eat Itself as well as from things I’ve done in the past. Foremost, as things are changing in the music industry it is a fantastic way to involve people that are interested in your music. They get to be involved in ways that weren’t available before so it’s so good for that. Also, as I mentioned earlier one can release music by themselves these days and the PledgeMusic platform makes that very easy and ergonomically viable to go from social media straight to a person interested in your music/art.

You’re offering music production, songwriting and DJing as campaign perks, which I find amazing. You’re willing to share so much of yourself with this campaign which must be incredibly exhausting. Is there ever a moment when you are not creating? How do you recharge your batteries?

I have the odd day when I don’t do any music at all. Those days are spent on my laptop e-mailing and thinking of new ideas and ways to move my band forward, creatively and to find opportunities to get the band to a wider audience. It’s a slow process and can be frustrating as well as exciting. Sometimes you need time away from the studio to re-energise and let new ideas grow. However, I dream for a time when I don’t have to leave the studio ever.

I’d like to build a house around a studio.

The studio would be the hub. The rest would just be necessities.

You’re also offering limited edition albums with some unique artwork with the hope that it will become a collector’s item. Who is the artist? Can you give us any clues as to what the visuals are like?

I am going to design all the artwork for the upcoming release. On one of those days when I wasn’t in the studio the penny dropped about how I’m going to do it. Buying the album via PledgeMusic will be one of version of the album, never to be replicated again. I am in talks with a few labels so if the album does get re-released it will probably have a

different track listing and most definitely artwork. This makes it way more personal to people involved in the campaign.

Speaking of art, how many tattoos do you have? What significance do they have for you?

Tattoos...ha! God knows. Loads. One of my best friends is a tattoo artist and he used to work next door to my guitar shop.

We’d hang out, talk about some things and more often than not end up with a tattoo. Some of them have meanings.

Some are reminders of things I don’t want to let go. Some give me strength and some are just good memories.

What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned from the music industry?

Right now, I feel like the music industry is this big hand overshadowing creativity and the things I enjoy the most. So I think my best lesson is to ignore it and go my own way. I have a relationship with it, but I’m not going to let the industry rule my life.

I just connect to parts of it when absolutely necessary.

What is your most guilty pleasure?

Being lazy. I could probably be lazy and do nothing for most of my life and just sit around and think things, drink a beer or two and watch movies and listen to music.

Where will Tim Muddiman and the Strange be in five years?

On my 4th or 5th album. Touring.

Making films...and not being lazy!!!

www.timmuddimanandthestrange.com Visit Tim’s 28 www.fourculture.com

Campaign

Playing the #electronica you didn’t realise you loved.

THURSDAYS, 5 PM EST/10 PM GMT on www.fourculture.com

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THE POWER OF MUSIC a conversation with Michael McCarron, creative director & founder of PUNK OUT, an organization dedicated to supporting & connecting LGBTQ+ musicians & their fans through the music that moves them

BY MARGUERITE O’CONNELL

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P

unk Out is a Philadelphia-based non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ musicians and fans. A desire to help LGBTQ+ young people is at the heart of every thing that Punk Out does, says founder and Creative Director, Michael McCarron. McCarron was inspired to start Punk Out by his experiences as a closeted gay teen in the punk music community, his own coming out as a young adult, and then later, working with teens as a high school English teacher.

McCarron speaks as passionately about the growing national problem of homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth as about his desire to reach out to young people and foster a more inclusive music community – one that is accepting of everyone regardless of race, religion, gender and/or sexual identity. Intelligent and articulate, his plans for Punk Out are focused, reasonable, effective, and exciting.

And while talking about those well thought out plans and focused goals, McCarron exudes a passion that is palpable and an enthusiasm that is contagious. So even if McCarron makes clear that Punk Out’s core mission is to make the lives of LGBTQ+ musicians and their fans better, a person can’t really be blamed for believing in its potential to be about so much more. Because by using music as the medium for their message, and by reaching out to all teens and young adults regardless of their sexual and/or gender identity, the diverse, inclusive, and supportive music community that Punk Out is working to create will eventually be a more inclusive and accepting society that makes life better for everyone.

McCarron and his all-volunteer staff are committed to their ideals and serious about their pursuit. He is proud to say that over half of the Punk Out team identifies as straight, something he thinks is very important. “We need to be able to have an open dialogue and to do that, we need to have the viewpoints of everybody involved in the conversation.” Started less than two years ago, Punk Out is steadily building a solid reputation in the philanthropic community and its work is making a real difference in the lives of LGBTQ+ youth. The frequent food drives team members hold at local concerts, as well as the Benefit Shows they help organize, provide needed support to shelters dedicated to homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

Their ongoing partnership with the City of Austin HIV Prevention Program is raising awareness about HIV and AIDS, and providing information on HIV and STI testing. And last summer at Warped Tour stops team members hosted “Punk Out Talks.” These

discussion groups featured a panel of musicians and industry insiders talking about issues of identity, inclusivity, and inspiration.

Punk Out’s website is dynamic and easy to navigate. The Blog and Artist Corner are two different editorial spaces for Punk Out team members and musicians to speak independently on any topic pertaining to the "3 I's” - inclusion, inspiration, and identity. The Resources page provides links to local and national LGBTQ+ and HIV related research and resources. And the Mission page provides an eloquent expression of Punk Out’s vision: We want to create a movement of acceptance in the alternative music scene. We work to start conversations, make LGBTQ+ community members and their issues more visible, remove the taboo within the alternative music community, and increase overall acceptance of everyone. We want to make a positive difference in the lives of gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or queer youths and adults, and our straight allies, through the music that drives us.

We are Punk Out. Recently Mike McCarron took some time to talk to me about his motivation for starting Punk Out and some of the plans being made for the future.

Punk Out hosted a Food Drive at the Electric Factory to benefit The Attic Youth Center, an organization serving LGBTQ youth.

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Michael McCarron and Buddy Nielsen

at the Electric Factory

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Tell me how you came to start a nonprofit organization focused on the LGBTQ alternative music community.

My father was really into music and I grew up in a house where music was central to family events — we often went to shows together. But while music is a passion of mine, I have no actual musical talent. So I decided at 15 that if I couldn’t be in a band, then I would write about bands. I gravitated towards punk music when I was younger — I'm gay and was in the closet until I was 21 or 22 years old — and I found solace in the punk community because everyone is an outsider. But for the many good aspects of the punk community, there were some negative aspects that really hurt me personally. It’s kind of funny how people think of punk and assume that because the people are all outsiders that the community is diverse. Actually the punk scene is a very homogenous community. And when I was 15, 16, and 17 years old, it was very misogynistic and homophobic.

Then after coming out and working with teens as a high school English teacher, and reflecting back on my experience – I really wish the music community that meant so much to me when I was younger, was more accepting of diversity. And I started thinking of ways to improve or better the music community. And about how we needed to do a better job of reaching teenagers and young adults. I personally believe that music is a really great lens through which to reach teenagers and young adults and that’s where the idea to start Punk Out came from.

dedicated to homeless LGBTQ youth in this country. This makes the ones that do exist really important and they need a lot of support. So the high school kids signed up to work at our table collecting food donations at a local show. It is a volunteer opportunity that really appeals to them. They are like, "You mean we get to go to a concert for free? And meet the members of the band?”

They think it is pretty awesome. And the bands have been very receptive when approached about our collecting donations at their shows. It’s an opportunity for the band to hang out with fans for a good cause, and they get some good press from the event.

And it is how we survive - by the generosity of the musicians who are willing to amplify our message for us.

What are some ways Punk Out is trying to reach teens and young adults?

Just a couple of weeks ago I was at a Philadelphia high school volunteer fair. To graduate from high school in Pennsylvania, students have to do a volunteer graduation project. They typically volunteer for an organization, then write a paper, and make a presentation on it. Schools set up volunteer fairs so students can see the different opportunities available and sign up for one. I jumped at the chance to attend because I know teens are passionate about music and I figured we would be a popular choice.

And I was right; Punk Out was very popular with the kids.

How can musicians help amplify the Punk Out message?

Musicians carry a lot of power and influence, especially musicians whose fans are younger. And anytime we can get those musicians to talk about things like inclusivity and acceptance, it goes a long way towards influencing their fans. For instance, over the summer we started running Punk Out Talks at Warp Tour stops. They were basically discussion groups with a panel of musicians and industry insiders who talked about issues surrounding identity, inclusion, and inspiration. Now had the talks featured just me standing up front and talking about the ways I think we can make the music community more inclusive, no one would have shown up. But when we get members of the bands on the tour — celebrities, if you will — to speak about these ideas, there is a lot bigger audience and a greater receptivity to what we are saying.

What are the kinds of volunteer opportunities that students could sign up for at the Punk Out table?

Well, we organize a lot of food drives – setting up and collecting food at concerts to support shelters for homeless LGBTQ youth. Homelessness is a huge problem for LGBTQ kids — nearly 40% of all homeless youth identify somewhere under the queer umbrella — but there are few shelters 34 www.fourculture.com

“Homelessness is a huge problem for LGBTQ kids — nearly 40% of all homeless youth identify somewhere under the queer umbrella — but there are few shelters dedicated to homeless LGBTQ youth in this country.”

is fairly new. There are many LGBTQ musicians who don't feel comfortable coming out and I guess the question for us is if they aren't out, how can they amplify our message about acceptance and inclusivity? And it really comes back to that core question of how do we build a safety net, supply the necessary resources, and create a scaffold that supports these musicians so they feel confident enough in themselves, and in their fan base, to come out and be themselves. When that happens, then they can start truly amplifying our message about building an accepting and inclusive community.

Another challenge we face is how to engage with people and the words we should use. There are some people who will shut What challenges does Punk Out face in down all communication over the use of pursuing its vision? certain words. But I tell my team, "Let's not Music, much like sports, is one of the last let words get in the way of progress. What arenas where having out LGBT participants is the bigger goal here? Who are we trying

to address?” If we are shutting people out because they use an offensive word or have done something offensive in the past, then we are missing the point. Because those are the people we are trying to reach and to educate. We try to break down the barriers that keep people from talking about these issues, but sometimes it feels like we are battling both sides of the ideological aisle. On the right are those who say, "Things can't change. Our religion tells us to feel a certain way. That’s the way it has always been." And on the left are those who say, "We are not talking about this. You are not welcome at the table because that opinion, or term, or topic is not welcome in the conversation."

shelter to benefit each month. We also hope to hold a benefit event at SXSW2016 in March. And we want to expand our Punk Out Talks to more music festivals.

Long term, we love the idea of our Punk Out Talks and want to explore the possibility of creating a format for the discussion groups that can be replicated in schools – especially, high schools and colleges. We also want to work with music publications and get them to shine a light on a greater variety of musicians and include people from all walks of life. We want to help them shine a light on more queer musicians and queer-friendly bands and artists. And maybe get music publications to ask themselves, "Are we showcasing enough bands What do you hope Punk Out will be with female members, or queer members, or that are racially diverse? And if not, why doing in the future?

This year we want to do one food drive not?" Some day we would also like to esa month, where we identify a show and a tablish a grant process and create grants for

artists, either queer artists, or bands with a large queer representation, or bands that are very empathetic and kind to the queer community. Punk Out would not act as a record label, but rather would fund acts that we think are forwarding the conversation.

Of course, this raises the ever-present issue of fund-raising. As a nonprofit, we are always thinking about and planning how to raise money to accomplish our goals.

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ARE YOU LISTENING?

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Mary Ocher + Your Government, Reality is Stranger Than Science Fiction

BY NADIA SAYS PHOTOS BY ELENA PANOULI & LUCI LUX

Mary Ocher (War Songs, Eden) is a unique character and punk-folk musician; and if you like name-dropping, here are some people who like her stuff: Felix Kubin, King Khan, Karen O, Barry Burns from Mogwai, Lou Reed’s producer Hal Willner, etc. Ocher was already queen of the underground and now she has formed a government — Your Government to be precise. Their first (but Mary’s fourth) 7” LP will be released on Klangbad on January 7th. The band will then go on a mini European tour starting at the Volksbühne, Berlin (that’s the People’s Theatre for you nonGerman speakers). The band likes to put on costumes and use lots of smoke and projections for a retro-future effect. Now you are going to learn why.

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Is nature science or fiction?

Aren’t they two sides of the same coin?

Marx, what would he say about your music?

The man lived at a time right before Are you science or fiction, or both? recordings were first attempted. No electric I am a breathing, talking and eating, instruments, no microphones, no alterations of acoustic sound. He’d be spooked noise machine ready to rumble! by the noise...but if he were able to look beyond the aesthetics, he’d probably find the Is sci-fi the future? Is there a future?

The future is, was, and will likely be music not accessible for the consumption of the masses (of the industrial revolution era, quite a bit beyond anything sci-fi. perhaps now large sections of masses are a little bit more, err... educated).

What could make the future better?

Less human beings, more information. Is your music political? Is everything political?

Is music important for the future?

A tremendous social baggage is carIs the future important for music? ried around and reflected in the writing. Is political? In my universe it is. In How is your band participating to everything others?

Who am I to tell? improving the future?

I am not entirely certain we are on the Mary Ocher + Your Government, a right path for improving the future; we’d strongly connoted name. Dreams of rather focus on improving the present. leading the people?

Nope. I am an anarchist and we cannot How so? undo centuries of socialization and simBy placing a mirror to the ugly forces ply ask people to think for themselves and turning the wheels of reality. stop relying on existing structures — there’s something brutally soothing in helplessness.

Why this theme of sci-fi for your new album?

Would you and your band be a We’ve tricked everyone to believe it is democracy? sci-fi, but if you look into it, you’d find an Hmmm...a democracy attempts to ininescapable horrific reality staring back at clude everyone in the process of decisionyou. making, but it is still an alienating system that steps on those weaker.

On top of the sci-fi aspect, the sound has quite a modern psychedelic turn?

When you guys play live, do you want I suppose it is in the realm of psych the audience to feel politically engaged, music. feel high or see the future?

Preferably they should each feel someCan there be sci-fi without psychedelia? thing of their own.

Both are an invention of the mind, but not necessarily intertwined.

When you play live, how do you feel?

Depending on what is being played, how Should people and governments use and where. Anything from worry that I canpsychedelics? not hear what is coming out of the speaker The question should rather be — if and as a result is either too silent or too loud they should want to — why shouldn’t they? to trying to convey the words in a physical Though I and most people around me don’t form and thinking over each word. have particular tendencies towards these substances.

Why do you tour so much, to conquer the world?

Any nature’s psychedelic you can If one can conquer the world with music, recommend? then yes. Of course it is to physically carry Chocolate bunnies, chocolate Santas, the music to more people. chocolate.

Is the world ready for your music?

So if you were a psychedelic, you would What do you say, world? be….?

A poison dart frog?

Is social media a drug? Is hummus a drug?

Marx would have certainly agreed that both have particular opiate qualities.

www.maryocher.com

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BY ADAM D PHOTOGRAPHS BY THECREATIVEERA

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e-raised Brooklynite, up alo ad Gu , rn bo nitia Ha a le, ol ure Meet Frantz Farn Clothing. I had the pleaaslab e ac yF tz an Fr el lab ion sh el fa e th and creator of he was hosting ile wh r be m ve No in rk Yo w Ne of meeting Frantz in birthday party. It took place in a gorgeous 5-story launch and also his vibe was happy and relaxed. There was also a buzz brownstone and the everyone there was part of something bigger. nabout the place, like tention but was a mosilet ge at of e ntr ce e th ly ab nd ta d rs an de un Frantz was me broad sm sa e th th wi rs ge an str d an s nd thusierous host, greeting frie es. His energy and enter ss gla d an tes pla ll fu d ha le op did the laugh . making sure pe so , se ro e lum vo ic us m e th as d asm was addictive an person, wanting to ive sit po t os m is th th wi at ch a I sat down and had makes Frantz Farnolle tick and what he has in know more about whatre’s what I found out. store for the world. He So you celebrate another birthday. How old are you now?

On paper it says I’m 35, but mentally I feel 50. I’m an old soul, but sometimes they say I act like I’m 13 [laughs].

Can you tell us a little about where you grew up and what the young Frantzy Face wanted to grow up to be? When did you realize that this is what you wanted to do?

I was born in Haiti but raised in Guadeloupe (French). I now stay in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up, I remember wanting to play for the NBA so badly. I wanted to be like Patrick Ewing, Shawn Kemp. Basketball was everything. We used to play all day at the park. You know, that carefree life.

I went to college and my major was Sociology. I wanted to be a social worker. I also worked part time jobs at the movie theatre, Starbucks etc.

I never had an interest in fashion. Ironically enough, some of my classmates actually made fun of the clothing I would wear to school. It wasn’t until 2011, while working at a Starbucks, that happened to be located in the fashion district, that I thought about fashion. I started out just wanting to make t-shirts with something positive on them. I wanted to create and spread love. I wanted whatever I created to change people’s moods about their situation. It was not only about looking good but feeling good about.

I did a lot of research. It was not as simple to make a t-shirt as I had thought. I had to find good quality, but at a good price. I had to think about colors, did I want it screen printed, or heat pressed etc.

Then in 2012 it happened. Frantz launched “FrantzyFace” and the logo was an ‘F’ smiling. How did things go on from there?

My first design was I.D.G.A.F. (I don’t give a fuck). I did not give a “f” if I didn’t know 44 www.fourculture.com

anything about fashion. I did not give a “f” about what the haters will have to say. I did not give a “f” about nothing! All I knew was “I’m going to create some dope ish for the people.” I did a year of research. I remember I went to Google and typed “how to make a T-shirt”...I thought it was gonna so be simple, but it’s so complex because there are so many different materials t-shirts could be made from and so many ways to print on a shirt. I also learned a lot from YouTube and asked some friends that were already in the business. My boy Rashad of “Blackeverything T-shirt” also helped me a lot at the beginning. Any questions I had he was there for me. When I started they told me you don’t know shit about fashion, I told them fashion don’t know shit about me.

Don’t let no one tell you what you can and cant do.

So I can see that Frantz is determined and focused but not averse to asking for help. It’s this idea that there is a community of people, working on their own thing but happy to help out others that I was so drawn to. However, with success and ideas comes the converse problem, where some friends seem to want to get something for nothing. It’s a problem you see covered a lot on social media.

People who know you, who are not involved in the art that you are, seem to expect something for nothing a lot of the time. Sometimes this is fine. Most of the time it isn’t. But I digress. Back to Frantzy…

How did you come up with the name for the brand?

The brand is all about being yourself.

Showing your true FACE and not conforming to the norm. I encourage people to be a legend in their own right. To strive to be the best in everything they do, never give

“I wanted

to create and spread love.�

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I think that’s one thing that’s missing in up and FACE whatever they are going our community — support for each other. through. JUST FACE IT. I can’t put my finger on it, but we just don’t The brand works on a number of levels, support each other. I’ve got friends that but there seems to be a strong mes- will spend $200 on a pair of kicks but will sage of love, particularly love of self in ask me for a free shirt. That’s so disrespectyour designs to date. I may have got that ful to me. I have supported people that totally wrong of course! But can you never supported me back. It used to get me tell us more about what influences your frustrated, but I realized not everyone is like designs? What is your ‘ethos’, or drive? me and that’s OK. I’m gonna keep spreadI’m inspired by regular life, by ev- ing love and support as much as I can. If we erything, by my friends, my friends who don’t support each other no one else will. are following their hearts and dreams no We’ve got to support the ART. I’m part of this matter what. The ones working 2 jobs while crew called RMF. It stands for ‘Remember going to school, trying to better their life. My Face’. It’s The Creativeera (Whitney), The ones trying to lose weight and actually Iman the brand (Iman), wildboard (Irv) and doing it. I’m inspired by people that find a Intimate Grind (Diamond/Drea). We are all way to make it happen no matter what. I’m fashion designers. We support each other, inspired by people that say they’re gonna and we do events together. We are just do something and they actually do it. That’s there for each other. I can hit up any one of so amazing to me. I really love it. I’m inspired by art. I love art. Art is everything and them 24/7 about anything. They will pick up. everything is art...there is no right or wrong That’s if they’re not sleeping [laughs]. in art just understanding. Anything that represents the real, raw, weird, love, truth of You’re very active on social media, the people. I walk around New York a lot which I am sure is a bit of a necessity for trying to find inspiration from everything: the you. There are a lot of posts which seem neighborhood; the people; stores; conver- to be a reaction against some of the sations. Everything. negative attitudes that people seem to have. Do you feel like this is a big probWe discuss this at some length. There’s lem today? It’s perhaps summed up by really no place like New York for being this quote you posted: “Hold on to evinspired by so much that goes on around ery genuine person you find. This genyou. I’m from London but I can concede eration has people driven by ego, money this point! and status. As a result good souls are I remember I used to blame others for ruined daily. Keep your head up and be the bad things happening to me. I realize it conscious of the energy you give out was not their fault and I started taking re- and connect with”. sponsibility for my actions. That’s where I just hate negative energy, but I real“face ur self” design came from. It’s about ize it’s the law of the universe. Negative looking at your self in the mirror and real- must exist because positive exists. It’s just izing you have the answers. how you deal with it that matters. Some people just have that crab mentality about What about your choice of people who life. They kill my energy. form images on your clothes, such as There are a lot of fake people in this Bob Marley, Biggie Smalls and Tupac? industry and that’s why I made the “I SEE Bob Marley, Biggie, Tupac. They are FAKE PEOPLE” design. I realize most of all legends of life. They were always 100% the people that are actually making moves their FACE at all times. The art that they are the ones that are very humble, the othcreated will never die because it changed ers just talk to talk. It’s good to spread good the world. That’s what I want my creation to energy and love. That brings more blessbe. I want it to change the world for the bet- ings to you. Most of my major moves with ter. In high school I wrote a paper on Bob FrantzyFace Clothing came off me showing Marley. Tupac’s album All Eyes On Me was love and good energy. the first hip-hop album I bought. His “Dear Mama” was on repeat when I lost my mother. You have just launched your label, tell Biggie is just the man! That Brooklyn Pride. us a bit more about who is involved and “Juicy” is one of my favorite song of all time. what is a ‘typical day’ for you (if there is such a thing!)?

You seem very keen to promote fellow It’s simple for me. I wake up everyday designers and other artists as well. For and try to get inspired. Promote, try to make someone looking to make a name for some sales, spread love, create some dope yourself, it’s refreshing to see you look- art. I try to get better at life. ing to support others as well. Do you feel I spend a lot of time at Blue Alert, the part of a community of up and coming print shop where they make most of my artists? stuff. That’s where the FrantzyFace produc-

tion goes down, but it’s deeper for me. It’s therapy. When I’m stressed I go there and create.

I’ve been going there for about two or three years. Me and the owner Irv are very cool. He is one of my mentors and I learn a lot from him as far as the materials and machine setup go. I always share some of my ideas with him and he always gives me good feedback. It’s a chill environment. We also talk a lot about life.

What are you working on now/next? Tell us more about the Face 2 Face documentary and also your work with Brooklyn College and Elevate My Runway.

I’m working on opening a boutique called The Closet. It’s going to look like a closet when you walk in so when you’re walking down the street and someone asks where got your shirt from you can say “the closet”!

We’re also working on releasing my ‘face2face’ documentary filmed by ZOreal productions. This documentary will change the world! We want it inspire people to follow their dreams. Our plan is to have the premiere at the theater we used to work at. How inspiring will that be? Going from working there to having our movie premiere there, how crazy will that be?!

I will also feature in “Elevate My Runway”. It’s a reality web series coming soon with executive producer Levy Paul (Tazz).

It’s based on the fashion industry main stream/underground world.

What are your ambitions for FrantzyFace Clothing?

FrantzyFace Clothing will one day be a world wide brand. I want to be the example that you can be your self and achieve your goals and dreams. I want to inspire everything that’s good about life.

What messages do you have for people starting out, or looking to take things to the next level?

Those are actually some of my designs FOLLOW UR HEART meaning if it’s your passion, follow it and spread that energy to the universe. JUST FACEIT meaning face all of it, don’t run away from the problems, the stress, the hate, also face the love and the blessing. FACE UR SELF meaning only you have the answers, and BE UR FACE meaning be yourself. It’s that simple for me.

Be yourself. Own your actions and be inspired by life. Not a bad feeling to have as we left the busy Brownstone and headed back across New York City, walking just a little bit taller.

www.frantzyface.bigcartel.com/

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Fourculture is proud to announce its first music compilation featuring 20 amazing independent artists from around the globe

FEATURED ARTISTS: Noblesse Oblige

Victor DeLorenzo

Brett Gleason

Misty Boyce

Jaani Peuhu

My Personal Murderer

Loveskills

The Autumn Stones

Electrosexual

Typeface

neutronic

CIGĂšRI

[debut]

Vain Machine

aMinus

Derek Bishop

The Controversy

Thot

Photostat Machine

Danniel Oickle

Proceeds from Fourculture: Beyond the Mainstream will support OnAirTunes.com, the network who hosts Fourculture Radio.

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SOUNDS | VISIONS | WORDS | VOICES