FOXES Magazine #14 - The Music issue

FOXES THE HIVES

FOXES PEACHES

FOXES

IAN SVENONIUS

FOXES

STEVEN & JEFF MCDONALD

REDD KROSS

FOXES CURTIS HARDING

FOXES MNNQNS

FOXES

BOBBY VYLAN

FOXES

DAGGER POLYESTER

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Tina de la Celle

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Wanda Martin

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Wanda Martin

Dean Bradshaw

Ebru Yildiz

Emily Utne

Darian Zahedi

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Ian Randolph

Fritz Kant

SPECIAL THANKS

Laurel Canyon Cafe

Counterpoint Records and Books

Hollywood LA Tours

Matthew Greer @ATC Management

Carrie Tolles @ TCB PR

Vanessa Taub and Phil Costello @Red Light Management

Neeliva De Silva @Good Machine PR

Matt Hughes @Good As Gold Group

info@foxesmagazine.com

DAGGER POLYESTER

Words

Photography WANDA MARTIN

FRITZ KANT

Dagger Polyester interviewed by Fritz Kant on May 31st, 2023. From out of the blue, Dagger Polyester is sweeping the Los Angeles underground with his cacophonous, high energy live performances. Wearing elaborate leather assemblages and heavy deconstructed drag makeup, his larger than life stage persona is both magnificent and menacing. One minute convulsing, ecstatically dancing, spitting and screeching at the audience like a madman, the next perfectly still, totally vulnerable like an animate statue: Dagger is an undeniable force.

Although his music has been described as glam-rock revival, it is far from retrospective. Grand, sweeping melodies contrast with grating, harsh textures. Rapid, attention-deficit-genre-switching renders the music futuristic and beguiling. Electric cello and violin often take the place of guitar solos. Where there should be a hooky chorus, a doom-metal breakdown brings everything to a grinding halt. No genre is left unadulterated. Kids just can’t sit still anymore and Dagger is no exception.

Today I am tasked with interviewing Dagger, physically struggling to keep up as he gracefully maneuvers over concrete obstacles. He has excitedly led me to what appears to be a forgotten city beneath the intersection of several freeways. Dagger bounds ahead like a friend of Dorothy on a yellow brick road of coagulated garbage. “Signs of life!” He shouts in reference to a pile of scorched pizza boxes. His spiked black hair and bright red marching band jacket bob up and down in the distance. Finally, I catch up to him, arriving at our destination: endless rows of tall, columned arches leading into what could only be described as a manmade cave. Discarded and badly burned furniture, clothing, needles, beer and spray paint cans abound.

FK: Where are we right now?

DP: This is like a ballroom. And here, you can see, is a portrait of the Virgin Mary done in shit.

FK: This is not an imaginative fabrication, but a fact.

DP: This structure was built in 1959. It’s really grand, like a castle, with a water feature, even.

FK: He is referring to a steady stream of sewage trickling down a hillside of boulders.

DP: There was a show here once, but I’ve never seen any residents. But someone is always watching, I think.

FK: I too feel a sense that someone may be peering at us from one of the dark chasms in this hellish wasteland.

DP: This gargantuan rusted pipe here, the way it just juts out of this slab, reminds me of the architecture of

Lebbeus Woods a little.

FK: What drew you to this place?

DP: Well, it feels like a set in an opera house. It was designed so romantically for a structure that could’ve been conventional and ugly, built just for the purpose of holding up this massive freeway. It’s a reminder that there is always a world built underneath yours.

FK: Do you value things that are romantic, intricate? Complex?

DP: Intricate, ornate things are usually not complex. They’re pretty.

FK: Can something be both?

DP: I think that would be too much. If something’s really beautiful, you can just let it be what it is. I’m a brutalist about my beauty. Expose it for its use, even if that use is pure vanity.

FK: So would you describe your work as vapid, empty?

DP: No, no. If I could make something empty, just beautiful, I would. I’m a long ways from being so masterful. Right now, the work I do is just a lot of untangling.

FK: Judging by how melodic and intricate your music is, you’re undoubtedly influenced by theatre.

DP: Yes! As a natural contrarian, it’s difficult to stay focused on one theme for too long. I like to play with different aesthetics, create different fantasies. Theatre is a great medium in which I can do that and it’s still graspable for others. I can be a brave, wounded soldier one minute and a flailing little dress up doll the next and the audience can still say, oh yes, these are different stories being told by the same actor.

FK: So you’re essentially writing musicals without the dialogue. What is your favorite musical?

DP: Hard to say, I don’t really like most musicals. I love Sondheim. And I love the idea of vaudeville and cabarets and music halls. So glamorous.

FK: What are you working on right now? I remember you told me you were in the midst of writing a musical about the alleged sexual relationship between James Dean and Marlon Brando.

DP: Actually I’ve just begun the string arrangement for a new song called “Discipline and Punishment,” about the CEO of a privately owned prison who gets deep into some Marquis de Sade-like sexual torture, only he’s on the receiving end. His ultimate fantasy is to be a prisoner himself. Like all fantasies, it escalates until he arranges his own death with his dominatrix. All the while living his double life as a respected business man with a wife and children.

FK: How about a recitation?

DP: Sure, yeah. Here’s the second verse. “At home perform the cirque-du nuclear family, the children spawned born all four pinkish and healthy, they dress in uniforms of the white and wealthy, the stress of social tests makes mama look deathly. The taste of silver

spoons growing dull and bitter, no pain or suffering, just a life of leisure, with pleasure after pleasure the pleasure’s weaker, they need something to feel that will go much deeper.”

FK: And do you go on to detail the sexual torture as well?

DP: Oh yes.

FK: It seems that you enjoy playing with overtly sexual themes

DP: Yes, sexual, not sensual. Raw sex, animalism.

FK: Besides sex, what have you been writing about?

DP: My main focus at the moment is advertisement. We’ve been born and bred as God’s perfect consumers, unable to understand when we’re being marketed to and manipulated. In the attention economy, our psychological makeup is for sale but we earn no profit. Our innate reactions are becoming more anticipatable with every second of attention we sacrifice to these social media and tech companies. In the near future we’ll all receive completely individualized advertisements, one for each person in the world from each company.

FK: Clearly, there’s a lot you have to say in your work. You only have one single out as it stands. Are we to expect more music, possibly music about advertisements, in the near future?

DP: I have over one hundred songs in different states of undress. I just don’t know what belongs in the world and what belongs in the morgue yet.

It’s clear Dagger Polyester is one to watch. Though at first glance it may seem he was born in the wrong generation, he would certainly disagree. Invested in the big questions of modern life while building dark fantasy worlds only imaginable to the criminally perverted, Dagger’s work is pushing rock n roll into a dystopian present. As we walk back through the haunted underpass, I think to myself, “The rare creature of Hollywood, the last of the freak show.”

THE HIVES

Photography

When did you know you wanted to be a musicians?

Maybe different for all members but it was never about being a musician. It was about having a band and playing music. This was in high school. The way we saw it at the time no good band could make a living and therefore a musician was someone who played bad music for money and that was not what we wanted.

What would you have been if you didn’t do music?

Leaders of small nations, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies and a race car driver. Rock n roll robbed the world of many talents with this band unfortunately.

What do you feel is your best song?

Come on. It’s a perfectly formed minimalist masterpiece of musical architecture.

What musician would you like to collaborate with?

Andre 3000. It nearly happened in 2007. Fingers crossed.

What do you think is the greatest song ever?

Carmina Burana by Carl Orff

Who are your musical influences?

AC/DC, The Saints, The Sonics, Kraftwerk, The Ramones, Johnny Burnette, The Cramps, DEVO, Dr. Dre, Napalm Death, Carl Orff, Ennio Morricone, The Dead Kennedys.

Are any of your family members musicians?

A lot of us have parents who played but none professionally.

Where did you grow up?

Everyone except The Johan And Only grew up in a small steel factory town in rural Sweden called Fagersta. The Johan grew up in West Africa and northernmost Sweden. Where was your first show?

Probably a school dance at our high school. In the dawn of man.

Tell us about your favorite show and why?

My favorite is Foro Sol stadium in Mexico City 2019. Because it was massive and because Mexican fans are the best.

Do you have any crazy stories from the road?

Yes.

Shirts, pants, bowties: Saint Laurent

What is the story behind your band name?

Chris and Vigilante were flicking through a dictionary and found that Hives means having a rash brought on by eating strawberries or lobsters. It later became a plural because all cool bands have plural names.

What was your first concert?

A jazz show with dad that may have been Chet Baker. He was in fucking rough shape. The first show I went because I wanted to was German trash metal band Kreator.

Who would you have loved to see live when they were in their prime? Alive or dead.

All of the ones I wrote on influences above would have been awesome!

Tell us how the band got its start? Who started the band?

Randy Fitzsimmons. A sort of mutual friend kind of gathered us and said we should start a band and play his songs. We agreed. We had nothing better going on being bored 14 year olds.

What is next for the band?

Releasing our soon to be award winning new album The Death Of Randy Fitzsimmons abd playing to every person on earth. Within reason. Of course.

Your new album seems to be doing very well. It seems like when you play the new songs the fans love them, this must make you feel great. Do you ever get nervous that adding new songs to a set list might not go over well? So many fans want hits. But your new songs are amazing and your fans seem to already be singing along.

Yeah I mean it’s not even out yet and people are frothing at the mouth! I guess we starved them for a long time so maybe that wac the trick. Unintentionally of course. We are not old enough to not add the new songs to the set list. That is for top tier classics like AC/DC or Rolling Stones.

How does it feel playing again after a long hiatus?

Great! So good to have new songs to play. We have been playing shows all along though. That part never stopped even though it grit pretty thin for us at times.

MNNQNS

Photography THEO GOSSELIN

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

Pretty soon for all of us I think, for me the spark was discovering Nirvana at age 11. Couldn’t stop trying every instrument I could find from that point on!

What would you have been if you didn’t do music?

Probably something that has to do with visual arts.

What do you feel is your best song?

Tough question. I feel like ‘Shall We Get Started’ is a good summary of the new direction we’re taking but is it the best? Don’t know. I know what’s our worst though haha

What musician would you like to collaborate with?

Brian Eno if you’re reading this you know what to do.

What do you think is the greatest song ever?

“Life On Mars” by David Bowie maybe? Can’t beat the songwriting on this one. And obviously the lyrics and production...even those unbearably out of tune flutes are mind-blowing.

Who are your musical influences?

There’s a lot! The Beach Boys, Delia Derbyshire, Lee Scratch Perry, Einstürzende Neubauten, Queens Of The Stone Age, King Crimson, Talking Heads, Sonic Youth, Bach, Raymond Scott...the list goes on.

Are any of your family members musicians?

Music enthusiasts rather than musicians.

Where did you grow up?

We all grew up in Normandy, France. Most of us in the countryside but we moved quickly to the city of Rouen. That’s an old medieval town with dozens of gothic churches, a massive cathedral, a lot of Middle Age history...you get the idea.

Where was your first show?

We all had previous bands before MNNQNS. First show of this band was in 2014 I think, in a Rouen venue called le 106.

Tell us about your favorite show and why?

There’s many! We played a church in Brighton, UK, got caught in a thunderstorm in Wuhan, China, jumped off stage and almost broke my foot in Leiria, Portugal, had the best of crowds in Paris, France and Stuttgart, Germany...many other places have been amazing as well like Romania, Canada, Luxembourg...

Do you have any crazy stories from the road? We once “borrowed” a boat in a festival in the middle of nowhere. Had all the security agents trying to get us to come back but that was the only boat on the lake. Stayed in the middle of it until we ran out of drinks. Also realised halfway we were piloting the boat backwards.

What is the story behind your band name?

We were originally called Mannequins but that made us near impossible to be found on the internet so we removed the vowels. Not our smartest idea though cause now people are like “what’s that band name? Munchkins? Monokini?”

What was your first concert?

Probably a jazz show my parents took me to.

Who would you have loved to see live when they were in their prime? Alive or dead.

The Beatles for sure. Black Sabbath. The Velvet Underground. Pipers-era Pink Floyd...

Tell us how the band got its start? Who started the band?

I (Adrian) started this band while I was living in Cardiff, Wales almost 10 years ago. I was studying musicology back then and going to as many shows as I could. Wrote the first songs there and found some bandmates when I got back to France.

What is next for the band?

We’re writing the 3rd album at the moment. We’ll be trying a whole lot of new things on this one. Super excited about it.

What would you like to tell us about you that fans may not know?

We can name every starting five of every NBA team since 2003.

JUMPER All Saints

JEANS Diesel

JEWELLERY All Saints

BELT Underground BOOTS Geox

BOBBY VYLAN

Photography WANDA MARTIN

Styling MARGHERITA ALAIMO

Makeup Rita Skomrova

Photo Assistant Luca Pellegrino

Fashion Assistant Marilena Angelides

VEST Ami SHIRT Jekeun

JEANS American Vintage

JEWELLERY Hey Harper

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

I don’t remember the exact singular moment but I remember a handful of moments where I felt moved to pursue it and one of them was seeing So Solid Crew on TV, that was a moment that made me realise it’s possible.

What would you have been if you didn’t do music?

I don’t like to think about that. But no matter what I would always be doing music, even if it wasn’t what I did for a living I would still be making music for my own enjoyment.

What do you feel is your best song?

It changes so often, at the moment it’s something that’s unreleased and will likely be on the next project. There’s a song called ‘Dream Big’ which is unreleased and I absolutely love it. It was made as a kind of love letter to my younger self.

What musician would you like to collaborate with?

There are so many but I would love to collaborate with Mustafa The Poet, he’s a great writer and has and delivers his music so beautifully. Also Ghetts, he’s an incredible artist and an insanely talented lyricist. And of course Run The Jewels, those guys are on another level.

Where was your first show?

It was an open mic night at a nightclub. The same nightclub I went and saw my first live show.

Tell us about your favorite gig and why?

I don’t have one specific favourite gig we’ve played but 2000 Trees in 2022 was pretty wild. It was a packed out tent and absolute carnage.

Do you have any crazy stories from the road?

There’s maybe one or two but some people might get upset haha. we’re a pretty chill band though, we don’t really do anything crazy when we’re out on the road, we want to make sure each show is as good as it can be so we make sure we look after ourselves out there.

What was your first concert?

The first show I watched was a nightclub and I was watching a UK Garage crew called ‘Alliance Crew’ perform. They wore all white Nike tracksuits and trainers and at that time it was the coolest thing I had ever seen.

Who would you have loved to see live when they were in their prime? Alive or dead.

What do you think is the greatest song ever?

That changes day to day but if I had to give one song at this very moment I would say Curtis Mayfield ‘We People Who Are Darker Than Blue’

Who are your musical influences?

There are so many, too many to mention. But I also think musically I’m influenced by rhythmic happenings that aren’t necessarily “musical”, like the cadence of someones conversation, or the sound of the environment that I happen to be in. There’s influence to be found everywhere.

Prince, without a doubt. And I very nearly went to see him a year or so before he passed away. I still kick myself about that. And I would love to see Tom Waits, he doesn’t have a “prime”, he has just remained an incredible artist since day one.

What is next for you?

We have a UK tour in November which is on sale now and we’re announcing our EU tour soon. New music for sure but I’m also working on a few things outside of music at the moment. Things that I’m really excited about and allow me to be creative in different ways.

Anything else you would like your fans to know?

Remember to drink water, eat your veggies and read books.

Left: JUMPER All Saints Right: KNIT VEST Norse Projects WATCH Rolex NECKLACE Hey Harper

SUIT Edward Crutchley

JEWELLERY Artist’s own

PEACHES

The Fruit of Labor: Peaches has taught us enough. Now it’s time for us to really listen.

Photography

Styling TARA NICHOLS

Make-up LILY KEYS

Hair CHARLIE LE MINDU

Words IAN RANDOLPH

DEAN BRADSHAW

COAT Simon Miller BRIEFS Kiki De Montparnasse HEELS Versace

Earrings / Mithridate Top, Skirt, Shoes / TOGA PULLA

DRESS Bethany Cordwell

BOOTS On Aura Tout Vu

GLOVES Kristina K

RINGS Azita Mireshghi

Many words have been said about Peaches and her music. Brash, brazen, and yet excitable,she has been a voice for unspoken. Since the 90’s Peaches music has given listeners insight on sexuality, gender politics, and all out radicalism wrapped party starting rhythms that has made even your favorite artist openly or internally admit “Damn, I wish I could’ve said that.”. Things like controversy, conformity, and most importantly; costumes are as irrelevant as one’s last hit song to the singer/songwriter. It’s all in the same. But she doesn’t want your praise, nor your offer. She just hopes people alike will continue to push further and fight the good fight. So much is preached about individuality, but tolerance is hardly practiced. So much has changed yet some of us haven’t and will never. So with artists like Peaches, much like our great leaders, they take us places we don’t want to go, but in the end, it’s for the better...and give us something cool to share with somebody.

Ian Randolph: It used to be where artist’s who had a unique or shocking presence and point of view were often ostracized for their work where as now the more shocking you are, the more celebrated you are. Was there a moment in your career where you felt like you’ve gone too far?

Peaches: I want to just say, I know you call it marketing and I understand all that, but let’s not forget there’s another side where people can be like “Finally I can be who I need to be.I can fucking express myself and sing what I need to sing about publicly.”. I think that’s very important to remember and of course it becomes a trend. I hope in terms of the industry, these type of things become a trend because that happens, but people who are making music truly for themselves wouldn’t the ability to perform it live if it wasn’t something true.In terms of me going too far...I never had...well, I was only on a major label for like 8 months to do a single a long time ago and besides that no one could tell me what to do. That’s why I had the label I had, but yeah. When I had that 8 months with Sony for my first album they doing “Set It Off’ as a single and then they buried my album. I hadn’t realized they had buried my album, but I remember we made a video in 2001 and I was telling them I wanted the video to be me in a room. A white room. Dancing with hair growing. First it would be my hair would grow then my eyelashes. You would think “Oooh, she looks prettier!”like “Her Hair!”and then I would get a 5 o’clock shadow and I would get pubic hair down my leg and then under-like hair everywhere. They couldn’t deal with that. It would’ve been a beautiful video, but they were like “NO! We have to get club kids and models to dance!” and they made a disaster out of it. Then they hired one of the AR’s women to walk around and make out with the other women to make it-

IR: Yeah, you saw where this was going...

P: Yeah and I immediately told them then we should add some guys in there to makeout and literally there were 2 directors and one was gay and they said “No, we can’t do that on MTV.” That was before the internet became a platform.(Sigh) I was so mad. The funny thing is, I wasn’t mad at this...the funny is two weeks later Cristina Aguilera’s video for “Beautiful” came outI was thinking “You guys are idiots.” because this was the shift and that was the only time I’ve been with a major label who could’ve say yes or no to things.

IR: I mean, I get it. They try to keep it safe. They think about the money, but what’s interesting is that’s more common for artist’s to be successful let alone more lucrative by just staying independent without the help of a major unless proven highly beneficial. In your experience, what are pros of singing to a major for someone in a similar position?

P: Well, my idea was I was going to use up all their money ,all their resources, and screw around. They should’ve let me. It would’ve been smart for them. The problem is with major labels is things move all the time, so whoever was interested in me at that time in the dance department; they got moved and then people don’t know what’s going on. The way that the corporations work is they don’t really focus on the artists. Like you said “They’re just trying to make money.”, so it doesn’t matter what’s going on with the artists. It’s like what we talked about earlier about the trends where they would say “Oh, could you be more non-binary for the camera?”

IR: That’s why they signed you in the first place! If they want your music, they get all of you. That’s the point.

interesting shifts is my label, which was XL Recordings. Right after I signed became “Whatever label Peaches is on. I want to be on.” and you’re getting gifts like “Come on, people.”(Laughs). Like I remember after my 4th album they came up to me and was like “We have this great idea! Why don’t you do another song like “Fuck the Pain Away”.” I was like “You didn’t want “Fuck the Pain Away” to be a single in the first place...” Do you see what’s going on here?

IR: That song was a great inspiration for me in a high school and it got me kicked out of a party once. It’s so funny because the idea of inspiration and people not getting something then, but have artists now saying how you inspired them. Even being sampled and hearing yourself on a song you wouldn’t expect, but I think part of your allure is that your music and presence is just as much fun as it is fierce. Because of that, do you ever feel underrated or even misunderstood because of that perception of you?

P: First of all, I wanted to thank you for the fun part because that’s very important to me. But, yes. I’ve been misunderstood for years and all that, but now it’s really cool because I feel like they’re ready for it or at least they read enough Wikipedia before they see me to go “ I know who you are and I’m ready to go.”(laughs).

IR: Well, you’re getting your flowers now, which I love. Even now, you have the campaign recently with Saint Laurent. That’s sick.

Congratulations-

P: Oh. No, they just used me as a muse and didn’t tell me. That was like “This campaign is based on this era and Peaches is our main inspiration.” After it came out I was like “Oh, cool. I would’ve been nice is you told me...”

IR: And that’s what I was talking about! This happens to so many artists and I hate that. Where someone who use you as a muse or influence and not give you credit or money where it’s do. Being an inspiration to someone is not only the biggest form of flattery, a fellow artist mentioning their influences or inspirations makes me respect them even more. Bowie was known for giving his fellow artists their props like that.

P: Watch what Beyonce did recently. “Show Me Love” for example. It’s not the same song but she publicly said this songs style. I switched it around, but I’m going to

not only give Robyn S credit, I’m also going to give her her money.

P: For me, the inspiration that I love is obviously Riot Girl. Missy Elliot. Lil Kim. Missy Elliot for example has a lot fun in her music. which is really inspiring. But there’s also Lydia Lunch who has more of a feminist punk. The angry, white, New York feminist. EEEERRRRRHHH! Leather jacket, which I love. I just want people to laugh and make their shoulders go down, so that the music goes in. I want it to disarm, so you receive these messages.

IR: Going back to how things are presented and marketed, I think we’re past the time now where people criticize other artist’s for “selling out”. If you’re an independent artist nowadays, the right kind of endorsement is needed to supplement your independence among other pursuits. So whether it was back then or now. What does selling out mean to you personally?

IR: Everyone is so desperate to be bold and different nowadays where it’s actually hip now just to be square...how has authenticity played a key role in your life? Is it a conscious or unconscious thing for you?

P: To be honest and this is hilarious. I don’t know the name of the movie...it’s with Peter Sellers and he’s a gardener. Whoever he works for in the film dies and they ask him all the questions about the death. Peter’s name is Chauncey the Gardner and the film is called “Being There”. He knows nothing about anything. He only knows about flowers and they think he’s a genius. When I started out, I was kind of like Chauncey the Gardner. I’m not part of this. I’m just questioning things that are in my head. Why do I listen to 70’s rock bands that are asking me to sleep with underage women? Why am I doing that? Because I like the melody, you know what I mean. It was always questioning to me. Driving HipHop choruses like Chance with repetitively riffs like The Stooges and add in the attitude of Riot Girl. These are all inspire me and they’re all in different areas, but I want to flip it and make it mine. And Kraftwerk and the beginnings of electronic, Kraftwerk like sounds. When I first listened to Daft Punk’s first album I was like “Oh, electronics can be Rock n Roll. In that way I was authentically conscious, but lyrically it was always just this is what I want to say and also wanted to not sing because I’m a singer. I wanted people to listen to the lyrics and not just listen to the melodies. I wanted direct messages to come through.

BOOTS Amorphose

BRIEFS Kiki De Montparnasse

TOP Snake oil

IR: Most artist’s lose their cool by trying to keep up with the cool as they get older or just say fuck it and have a full conservative makeover. Do you ever worry about how your work will age or how you’ll perceived in later years?

P: Definitely the internet is a microscope(Laughs). I’m surprised because I’m like “Hey, this is me. I’m 56. I have nipple covers and a pair granny panties up to the bottom of my under boob.There’s pubic hair coming out and I’m screaming at you.”(laughs). I don’t know about that. I just got to do what I do.

IR: I think it’s a felt thing. Authenticity is a feeling. To each it’s own, but you know when it’s real.

P: Do you know when I know it’s real? I just did a show recently at Red Rocks and it was me, M.I.A., and LCD Soundsystem. It was real. We’re all friends but we hadn’t seen each other in so long and it was wild. It was like “I haven’t seen you in 18 years!” and here we are. Everyone really cultivating their universe in whatever form it is. Each one had their definite universe. What I’m trying to get at is Time and perseverance. Some looks are good. Some looks are bad. But all three are these artists look good.

IR: Do you pay close attention to where the culture is going?

P: No. I mean. I guess.I”m not like “What’s going on?! What’s going on?!”, but what I listen to is just...dirty girl rap. I really just can’t stop. From Ice Spice to Bia to Flomilli to the City Girls. Whatever anyone thinks of Nicki Minaj, I think she’s just the most brilliant, funny, next level...I just listen to her and go “Wait. That’s like triple, quadruple entendre.”

IR: Do artists like this help you keep your material fresh?

P: On that end and there’s more of artists like Eartheater and Arca. It’s like take it. Run with it. Presentation and performance wise. I don’t live in America now, but even seeing someone like Doja Cat come up and certain performances during the pandemic, but she doesn’t give a fuck and she’s going in these crazy different way performative wise. With Eartheater and Arca though, it’s like “THIS IS OUR TIME!”. WE ARE GOING! Even with my last album “Rub” which was 8 years ago. Still blows my mind.

IR: Most subjects that were labeled as taboo in past regarding sexuality and gender politics is

now a common topic of conversation thanks to you and such artists.

P: In the song “Vaginoplasty” there’s a line in it that goes “If you’re born as a man, but know you’re a woman/I understand/Got to get it. Get it, girl.” because it’s about Vaginoplasty. Then I was like...that’s not right. If you’re born trans and you know you’re trans. I understand. It’s not like you’re one or the other. I look at the lyric and try to find when I started writing it. The vocabulary was not there. Of course there were words there, but understanding all the nuances. I would say things like “People think I’m so and so like a man.” and duh duh duh, but people have different percentages of it.

IR: So it was more stream of consciousness for you. You went off feeling.

P: Yeah or understanding that gender is a construct, but I didn’t have that sentence. Not like I wanted to use those sentences. I have a song “I U She” and “I U He”. “I U They”. Things like that just to understand that I wanted mainstream to come closer to me and remind myself that I always need to step it up. Even the little things like “Shake your dick. Shake your tits.”. Now it’s like “Shake your clit.”. “Shake your bits.”. Whatever you want to call it. Also, seeing more visibility in the crews, which was really important because when you play live and arrive at venues it’s like if you’re not this certain way. Venues are behind when it comes to who they’re hiring, so it’s nice to see more visibility in that way. I remember getting letters from some staff saying thank you for being here because finally there’s people here who look like me.

IR: Who were you the most surprised by who was inspired by you?

P:You know what was really cool. Do you like Larry Wilmore? I was on his show and he pulled me aside and was like “You’re the real deal. I’ve watched you grow.” and someone like that I was like “What? Yes! I love you! That’s is so cool. You’ve made so many amazing things happen and worked with so many great people.”. When it’s like not these highly revered people. They push stuff forward.

Going back to Red Rocks. They have their whole staff there. They have history. You can see it’s all country and rough. 70’s and 80’s. Everybody that works there are some really older people who’s seen all those rock shows. Some of those stereotypical roady types . This is no joke.

They came up to me. The whole staff was like “ We just wanted to let you know that we really appreciate and love you do. We’ve never seen performance art on stage before. It’s always been bands and we are living for it.”...That’s a shift. That was like wow. M.I.A.’s dancers were like “We’re meeting a punk legend. We didn’t know until we saw the show.” and M.I.A. was like “Naw, that’s her. She’s a punk legend. This is where it started.”. It was so beautiful.

IR: Well, how do living in major metropolitan cities like Toronto, Los Angeles, and Berlin influenced your work?

P: When live in Berlin it’s more electronic vibes, so I felt more comfortable to try it out because when I was in Toronto it was just me and someone like Mstrkrft. It was actually pre-Mstrkrft, pre-Crystal Castles.Even Drake or The Weeknd. People were really Folk Rock back then and they didn’t know where to place me. I would do shows with acoustic players who thought I worked a single instrument because I used a machine. Berlin was giving me the music, but they were still very purist. Like the queer scene made it to like you had to look a certain way.

P: It was either butch lesbian or no lesbian. Crudely putting it, but fisting males, gay men with leather or see you later. The drag community was very only drag and if you’re not in drag then. I was in shock when I moved there.

IR: So it was still very divisive within that community?

P: Yeah, but later that shifted. I would dj Hip-Hop, Rock, and electro together and people were like “WOW, that’s interesting.”, but when I do that in LA people are like “Come right in.”. It’s so weird because my experience is only Europe and North America in terms of we know how fucked the states is, but they’re still ahead in a way that Europe doesn’t get yet.

P: Lyrically and ideally I would come back to the states to be inspired.

IR: And after this...did you ever think you’d make it to Forbes? You’re are anti-that and now they got you in the boardroom(laughs).

P: It’s funny because it’s a friend of mine who writes articles for them and she’s like “I got this idea that I’m going to put you in Forbes.”

She was like “I want to write about fashion.” and I was like if you’re going to write about me, I want you

to mention every person I’ve worked with and give them credit or else I’m not doing it because this is so mainstream and I want all those people see their names there.

IR: And that’s what I’m talking about! What does that kind of recognition mean to you?

P: It was an opportunity for people to make sure they get it right. Here we go. This isn’t a little indie article. I love to be out of the box about who is featuring me or writing about me. Way back when, Hustler magazine was doing an article on me around the same time I was doing an article with Bust. This was important because Hustler magazine was...first of all, I was rude in that interview. They asked me “What’s your favorite type of man?” and I said “He’s got to be 3 feet high or whatever height of my pussy and have a flat head, so when he’s eating me out, I can put a beer on his head.”. They ended making a cartoon of a 3 foot high guy and all these pictures of me with a flaccid leather dildo. I look sweaty and it was awful. I was so proud of Hustler. I looked sweaty and real. I was just laughing because they put my article in the middle of the magazine, the beginning of the magazine was just airbrushed women, and back was just amateurs in their own pictures. Somebody, somewhere probably I just grabbed a bunch of Hustlers are just chucked my own article in there. It’s also important to me be at certain things. I love pride festivals. I’m about to do a bunch of pride festivals. It’s going to be amazing.

IR: You coming through to LA?

P: No! I’m not! I’m going to miss Megan the Stallion! That’s going to be so good. I’m doing New York and Seattle, but the LA one is going to be amazing. I did do a festival a while back in Atlanta called Shaky Knees and to me that is so important because for people who’ve heard of Peaches and just needed a someone to watch while they wait for their favorite act, but it was so packed, people were screaming, and it was so great. I have this part of the show where I have these body suits on and the first one says “Thank God For Abortion” and I strip it off and it says “Drags Lives Matter” and the next one says “Trans Rights Now”. And every time I stripped of a body suit , the level of screams...it was giving people an opportunity because sometimes lyrics were fast too, so giving people the opportunity to stop for a second and go “I”m with you. I’m with the person beside.” It’s been an amazing moment at those shows or festivals where the thing thats widely acclaimed may not be the feature.

JUMPSUIT Ella Zahlan HEELS Versace

Secret Smiles are a four-piece based out of Los Angeles helmed by songwriter Julian de la Celle. Taking inspiration from bands like The Gun Club and The Velvet Underground, they’ve been building a fanbase locally and are set to release their first single on July 1st. We sat down with Julian to discuss the inception of the band, songwriting styles and their recent recording process with Henri Cash of Starcrawler.

When and how did Secret Smiles come to be?

Well, I’d been writing songs on and off for the last eight years or so, but they’d all mostly been beginnings to songs, or snippets of things, and I’d very rarely finish them. Then when lockdown happened, I started to focus a lot more on songwriting and recording demos at home and at my godfather James Trussart’s house. He makes guitars and has a really cool rehearsal space / music room in the back of his house, and I’d spend a lot of time in there. I wrote and recorded the first demo for my song Stay Blue there using a small vintage Silvertone amp that I ran the vocals through as well. It was all very DIY and on my own at that point, just sort of trying things, playing all the instruments, learning drums, etc. Then I just started gathering people that I loved and knew would be easygoing and would have great ideas and those people were Ann Seletos (drums), Zeh Monstro (bass) and Ian Waters (guitar).

How was it different once you had the band vs. on your own?

The biggest thing is quite literally having a full band to play together with and feed off of each other. Before I was just recording one instrument at a time, and then singing over that, and it was really fun and creative, and a great way to figure out the structure of the songs I was writing, but it can be a little lonely too. I think I was worried that, being a bit of a control freak, bringing other people into iI would be difficult for me, but it turned out to be a really great thing. I’ve realized I love the collaboration and each one of them has brought really interesting ideas to the table that I wouldn’t have thought of that I feel have made theses songs better. We also all get along really well and laugh a lot together and I think that that energy helps a lot.

Who are some of your songwriting heroes?

I started really coming into my own voice as a songwriter around the time I got really turned onto Leonard Cohen. He’s probably my favorite lyricist. Specifically his songwriting on Songs Of Love & Hate. I listened to that record nonstop the first year of Covid. When I was younger I remember being really obsessed with Jim Morrison’s poetry, and song lyrics… I’m also a big fan of both Nick Cave and Jack White - two very different styles, but there’s something about the power they’re able to conjure with words and sound, it’s really magical.

I hear you’ve recorded some songs recently, how was that and when do we get to hear them?

Yeah! We got to record four songs with my pal Henri Cash from Starcrawler. They have a little DIY bunker / basement studio and it sounds really great. We also got to record to tape which was a goal of mine going into this. We only intended to record two songs, but it all went really fast - we record live as a band and didn’t want to do more than three takes on a song. I’m really happy with how it all came out. The first one is a song called Stay Blue which is more a surfy, western style and the one after that will be a song called Massacre which has more of a Stooges vibe sonically. A little dirtier and rougher.

I do have to ask, where did the name originate from?

I had written down twenty or so band names I thought might work, and that particular one always stood out. I’m a big fan of alliteration and knew I wanted that. I was listening to Leonard Cohen, and Nick Cave, and The White Stripes a lot to see if there were any hidden gems in the lyrics and lo and behold after listening to “Dig Lazarus Dig” by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds this line stood out:

“The women all went back to their homes and their husbands with secret smiles in the corners of their mouths...”

What’s next for the band now?

We’re going to release “Stay Blue” on July 1st, and have a show that night in Los Angeles at The Oracle Tavern. Then going to keep releasing songs and hopefully a mini West coast tour in September.

SWEET NOTHIN’S

Photography EMILY UTNE

Top: ÇANAKU Jewelry: BVLGARI Serpenti necklace & Ring B.Zero1

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

Logan Shook: I think I knew I wanted to be a musician when I stopped playing sports in 8th grade (Imagine me playing football for a good chuckle).

What would you have been if you didn’t do music?

If everything in my life had gone exactly the same way as it has, but you take out music as a competing factor I think I would have leaned way more into fashion styling.

What do you feel is your best song?

I think all of ours songs are just wonderful, but if I had to pick one it would have to be Burn It Up. I really love a cocaine-fueled Country truck driving anthem.

What musician would you like to collaborate with?

If we’re sticking within the genre, I truly respect and admire Sierra Ferrell and everything she does, so it would be an honor to collaborate with her.

The Boneyard in Lawrenceville, Georgia (I was playing metal music at the time).

Tell us about your favorite gig and why?

I really love every chance we get to play, but one gig that stands out is when we played Permanent Records Roadhouse in November of 2022. It was the first time I’ve ever heard people sing along to songs I wrote before, it was such a special feeling.

Do you have any crazy stories from the road?

What do you think is the greatest song ever?

I think, for me, it would be a toss up between Hot Burrito # 1 (The Flying Burrito Bros), Starman (David Bowie), and Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks).

Who are your musical influences?

There are far too many to name, but some notable ones would be Gram Parsons, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Buck Owens, The Rolling Stones, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, etc.

Are any of your family members musicians?

My Papa’s mother was a multi-instrumentalist and could play music by ear (how I learned), but no one else in the family is a musician.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town in Georgia called Cumming (yes spelled exactly like that).

Where was your first show?

My first “real” show was when I was 15 at a venue called

We were headed across the country, this leg of the trip was from Austin to Marfa. We had just pulled up at like 5 or 6pm and we wanted to see if we could go swimming at Hotel Saint George, but the pool was surrounded by a brick wall and doors seemed to be locked for a private party. I gave my partner, Lily, a boost up so she could take a peak over the wall to see what was going on. This large man in a strong hat sees her and says “…can I help you?” Neil Young was playing from the inside and she said “sorry.. I just love this song”. He opens the door and warmly invites us right in to what is a private conference gathering of Cowboy Scientists. We’re shootin’ the shit for a long time with some really sweet cowboys, then at the bar (after complimenting my outfit) one of the cowboys asks us “Are y’all sisters?” to which I reply (in my deepest voice possible) “Nah, that’s my girlfriend.” This man who was formerly excited to chat me up ‘til the cows come home turned white and walked away so quickly without saying another word. I revel in the opportunity to challenge a man’s masculinity!

What was your first concert?

My mom took me to see Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and Metallica at Brave’s Stadium in Atlanta when I was 5 years old. She was the reason I was able to see so much live music growing up.

Who would you have loved to see when they were in their prime? Alive or dead.

Elvis Presley, hands down.

Anything else you would like your fans to know?

Women should have the authority to decide what happens with their own bodies, Drag bans/Book bans/ Don’t Say Gay bills are born from insecurities of people that are terrified of losing their grip on society, Waffle House is king.

LEFT:

Look: ROBERTO CAVALLI

Jewelry: BVLGARI

Necklace Serpenti Seduttori

Earrings Serpenti Viper

Rings B.Zero1

RIGHT:

Look: Alexander Mcqueen

Jewelry: BVLGARI

Necklace Serpenti Seduttori

Earrings Serpenti Viper

Bracelet Serpenti Viper

Watch Octa Finissimo

IAN SVENONIUS

Photography WANDA MARTIN

WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A MUSICIAN?

I don’t know; I formed my first bands when I was in first or second grade.

WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN IF YOU DIDN’T DO MUSIC?

A boxer or book store clerk.

WHAT DO YOU FEEL IS YOUR BEST SONG?

WHO ARE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES?

Jack Good ARE ANY OF YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS MUSICIANS?

Some of them were classical musicians yes

WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?

DC & Maryland.

The new Escape-ism songs, “One of the greats,” “Last of the Sellouts”, “Black Gold”, “Fire in Malibu”, “Lip Sync” and some others are what I’m most excited about right now.

I like “I Was Born w a Woman’s Intuition” as well. Or “Whatever People Say that I Am”.

Or some things by the Make–Up like “Blue is Beautiful,” “I Am Pentagon,” “Save Yourself” are good; those have a certain quality.

WHAT MUSICIAN WOULD YOU LIKE TO COLLABORATE WITH?

I’d like to have made a record with Alan Greenslade or Joe Meek

WHO ARE YOUR MUSICAL INFLUENCES?

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST SHOW?

My first “show” as opposed to “concert” was a band from DC called Scream.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAVORITE GIG AND WHY?

Maybe the Bad Brains at the Kilimanjaro club or Al Green at Carter Barron.

DO YOU HAVE ANY CRAZY STORIES FROM THE ROAD?

R&B singers and rock ’n’ roll singers; Gene Vincent, Ricky Nelson, Chuck Jackson.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE GREATEST SONG EVER?

The road’s stories are mundane on the one hand... but also harrowing; As one drives, the road tells its stories ... they involve a lot of grunting men working, laying asphalt and gravel, a lot of cars driving, and some state workers painting lines. Sometimes a little critter scampers across the road. Hopefully they survive.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CONCERT?

“My ship is coming in” by Jimmy Radcliffe

My first concerts were bluegrass, washboard stuff, and performances by the singers at a gospel church the block over from my house.

WHO WOULD YOU HAVE LOVED TO SEE IN THEIR PRIME?

James Brown, Gene Vincent, Little Richard, Bobby Marchan

WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU?

I have dreams of starting an international sports league, perhaps for a new sport which hasn’t been invented yet. Or perhaps start a telecommunications company with space satellites but for a kind of communication which no one understands yet. I am quite psychic and am confident that psychic communication will not only become paradigmatic but also will be quite profitable for those who pioneer the technology to popularize it.

I’ve also got ambitions to be a king maker or fixer, lurking in the back room of the power centers, plotting who will be the public face of the ruling class and what country is going to invaded next.

ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR FANS TO KNOW?

I’d like my fans to know that, although your affection for

me might be fleeting and only last a few brief moments, I will cherish you forever, think of you always, and will remember you on my deathbed, as I expire.

For me, the fan is everything; I eat, sleep, read, write, and perform with the fan in my heart and on my mind. They are my foremost concern.

When the sun sets, I worry that the fan cannot see. When it rises, I worry that the fan might not have sunscreen and could be burned. The fans are my subjects and responsibility, and it is my greatest pleasure to share my performance, wit, and wisdom with them. I recognize that it is the fans who have hoisted me to greatness and notoriety and I can just say to them “it is a thrill that you’ve shared this journey with me.” When they discard me cruelly like an old newspaper after a week or few days of listening, I tell them: “no hard feelings. I know there’s a lot to listen to; hopefully you’ll come back my way one of these days.” Some singers vow to exact revenge on fickle fans, to hunt them down and punish them for not listening anymore. Not me. But-- I am organizing a protest at the United Nations for unfair neglect at the hands of music fans who have ignored me. It’s just not right after all …I am the best.

CURTIS HARDING

Photography DEAN BRADSHAW

Styling TARA NICHOLS

When did you know you wanted to be a musicians?

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can recall. However, it wasn’t until I recognized the potential to establish a career through it that I began to approach it with a more dedicated and sincere attitude.

the perfect match for my current mood. Sadly we just lost a hero.

Are any of your family members musicians?

Yes, my sister is a pianist and my mother is a singer. I also have cousins and uncles who in the past were musicians. I come from a very musical family.

What would you have been if you didn’t do music?

Science has always fascinated me, especially astronomy and biology. From a young age, I was fascinated by the vastness of our universe and the mysteries that lay beyond our planet. As I grew older, I became more interested in biology and the complexities of life. The intricacies of cellular biology and genetics intrigued me. I guess in a way music somehow deals with the understanding of the world around us too.

What do you feel is your best song?

It’s great to have a positive attitude towards your work. Believing in your abilities and having confidence in your artistic expression can help you stay motivated and focused on creating your best work yet. By working hard and trusting in your creative process, you may be surprised by the amazing songs you will create in the future.

Where did you grow up?

Throughout the United States. mainly the south and west coast. I was born in the mid west though.

Where was your first show?

A house show I believe. When I first started performing songs I’d written with friends we’d perform at house parties.

Tell us about your favorite show.

I tend to move on very quickly from shows. I’m always looking for a new experience.

Do you have any crazy stories from the road? Yes!!

What musician would you like to collaborate with?

Collaborating with other musicians can be a great way to expand your creativity and explore new sounds, but it’s important not to let those opportunities distract me from finishing my current project. Once my next record is complete, I can start exploring potential collaborations and partnerships with other musicians again.

What do you think is the greatest song ever?

My taste in music is constantly shifting and adapting to match my ever-changing mood. Just as a chameleon changes its color to blend in with its surroundings, my music choices adapt to fit my emotional state. Right now, Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero” is

What was your first concert?

Prince

Who would you have loved to see live when they were in their prime? Alive or dead.

Hendrix, Bowie, the Beatles, Bo Diddley, John Coltrane, Sly Stone, the list goes on and on. Pretty much all the essential ingredients in a classic recipe for great music

What is next for you?

The future holds promise with a fresh album and further forays into acting. I’m excited to delve into uncharted creative realms.

COAT Tom Ford

TANK Dries Van Noten

TROUSERS Saint Laurent

BOOTS Saint Laurent

SUNGLASSESs Marni

Left: SUIT Paul Smith

SUNGLASSES Rhude

Right:

FULL LOOK Helmut Lang BOOTS Ferragamo

SUIT Jean Paul Gaultier

SHIRT vintage paolo santini

SUNGLASSES Tom Ford

TOP Christopher John Rogers SUNGLASSES Gucci

MODEL/ACTRIZ

Photography EBRU YILDIZ

Where are you all from?

Jack and Ruben from LA. Cole from Delaware. Aaron from Vermont. We formed in Boston. Live in Brooklyn. We’re answering questions from the autobahn in Germany right now. - ruben

Who is your biggest inspiration?

nts radio - aaron

John Cage, mom and dad - ruben

Mom Dad Haley Gail Kelsey - jack

Grizabella from Cats - Cole

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

I watched the tribute concert to Freddie Mercury at wembley stadium on VHS when I was 3 years old and started drumming on pots and pans and refused to let my parents cut my hair for the next few years -ruben

First gig with my old high school punk band changed everything -jack When my dad took me to see Lady Gaga’s The Monster Ball in 2010. - cole

Where was your first gig?

We played with mmph and Fitnesss at a short lived house venue in Boston called The Fridge. The walls were covered in aluminum foil and I’m pretty sure somebody was playing a VHS of the Pirates of the Caribbean porn parody on loop on a TV in the kitchen next to a massive tub of vodka punch. -Ruben

Who is your favorite band?

slipknot / nts radio -aaron

Fugazi -jack

Limp bizkit -ruben

Kylie Minogue - Cole

How did you come up with your band name?

We stole it from our friend Sam thank you Sam <3 -ruben

Who are some of your musical influences?

nts radio - aaron

Drum machines sequencers samplers trains rivers -ruben

Pots n pans -jack

\Stray cats, ASMR - Cole

What was your favorite show you have done?

Club Magazine in valencia Spain in 2018ish(?) - Jack

Playing Chicago at empty bottle on this last tour felt pretty triumphant after getting stuck in a blizzard and having to drive 12 hours on the day of the show -Ruben

What’s next for the band? write music, play shows, make friends, rinse repeatAaron

Beach vacation - Jack

Best Socks: nike elite -aaron

Dickies or carhartt -jack

Sock puppets - Cole

What are you listening to on tour: Aanwalt, HiTech, Dee Aura, Blawan, Baby Volcano -aaron

Cha Cha Cha by Käärijä when I’m awake, and Kyle Bobby Dunn and the Infinite Sadness to go to sleepCole

Water

From Your Eyes, Nala Sinephro,

Enya -ruben

Suddenly by Caribou, Water from your eyes, new Paul Simon record, buck meek - Jack

Favorite act you saw at Wide Awake Fest: Two Shell - Aaron

Arooj aftab -jack

Last vinyl you purchased: Al Green Explores Your Mind + Al Green I’m Still In Love With You -aaron

Slint - Spiderland on CD -ruben

Currently reading:

How To Do Nothing by Jenny Odell -ruben

Inferno by Eileen Myles -jack

Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson - Cole

mind, like extra arrangement parts, different ways of introducing rhythm. It can be difficult getting those things across until you meet collaborators who understand what you want to achieve. You’re basically taking an abstract idea and trying to make it real.

F: Yeah I find that a lot. I mean as a producer I’ll often have an idea in my head and then when it comes to the practical moment it just absolutely doesn’t work. But that’s what I love about production, the fact you get to try all these things… on other people’s music! (Laughter)

F: When Foxes asked you to speak to me for this feature, did you have any thoughts about how it would go?

W: I thought it would be interesting to talk to someone we’ve worked so closely with. You obviously know us a lot better than most people because you know our music and our music is very personal.

F: When I was younger I would find it difficult being interviewed by people I sort of knew. I guess Axel it goes back to what you mentioned earlier, about the disparity between the type of expression required onstage and off. When you know people from day to day life and then you meet them in an interview setting, it’s like some of that other exaggerated, performative part of you has to come out, and then there’s a conflict between

A: After a while the two sides sort of blend into one

W: You sort of cross the bridge and then you transform - it elevates you, like your energy becomes more vivid or something. Because once you’ve showed your hand you can’t take it back. Once you’ve been honest it’s more

STEVEN & JEFF MCDONALD REDD

KROSS

Photography WANDA MARTIN

STEVEN & JEFF MCDONALD IN CONVERSATION

Photography DARIAN ZAHEDI

When did you know you wanted to be a musician?

I fell in love with writing lyrics when I was super young and when I was around 10 years old I started teaching myself guitar. I recorded some demos when I was that age that I still have. They’re pretty ridiculous but you can tell I took it really seriously.

What would you have been if you didn’t do music?

I make a lot of visual art and write so I guess I’d primarily focus on those fields. Or maybe a professional cat photographer? I love animals but I think I’m too sensitive to be a veterinarian.

Where was your first show?

I played open mic nights when I was a kid in Denver at a place called The Mercury Lounge. I think it’s still there. I played my first show with a band when I was probably 15 at a goth nightclub I grew up in called Rock Island.

Tell us about your favorite gig and why?

I love playing wild, sweaty, packed out, small club shows. I’ve had a blast playing places like Old Blue Last in London and La Maroquinerie in Paris. Not because the sound was good or anything but because the vibe was so fun.

Least favorite gig you’ve played?

What do you feel is your best song?

Umm, I never listen to my music after I release it so it’s hard to recall all of them. But I’d say all the songs from my latest record, Couples Only, represent nearly every aspect of myself as a musician and songwriter. I’m proud of it.

What musician would you like to collaborate with?

The Rza or Geoff Barrow from Portishead

What do you think is the greatest song ever?

Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones

Who are your musical influences?

The Stooges, Royal Trux, Graham Coxon from Blur, PJ Harvey, Suicide, Neil Young and Wu Tang Clan.

Are any of your family members musicians?

I have a younger sister who is a singer and a virtuoso at a Chinese instrument called the guzheng. She’s super talented but we couldn’t be more opposite, genre-wise.

Worst show I ever played was opening for NIN in Vegas. It was three nights in a row and the drummer I was playing with had a total meltdown during the first show. He had a panic attack mid-set, put his head down and started playing songs that werent mine. Then he went MIA and didn’t show up until the next show. He messed up again and again. I fired him afterwards and he laid down in the middle of the dressing room floor with a towel over his head and refused to leave. I think security had to remove him. Drummers…… heh.

What was your first concert? skinny puppy when I was 4. I don’t remember it.

Who would you have loved to see live when they were in their prime? Alive or dead.

Suicide, Royal Trux in the 90s and Wu Tang Clan when ODB was around

What is next for you?

I’m moving to the UK next week! My best friends live there and I’m really looking forward to getting out of the rat race of LA and just focusing on being creative. I’ll be spending time working on a new record as well as a book I’m starting to write. Then, I’ll be back in the US in the fall for a very exciting west coast tour. Details will be announced soon but it’s going to be killer.

Where did you grow up?

Denver, Colorado in a hotel called The Oxford.