FOXES jamie campbell bower
NO. 12. JUNE. 2022
FOXES sophie thatcher
NO. 12. JUNE. 2022
FOXES
Anson wears all clothing by Celine.
anson boon
NO. 12. JUNE. 2022
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NO. 12. JUNE. 2022
Emma wears all clothing by Saint Laurent.
emma appleton
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NO. 12. JUNE. 2022
FOXES
NO. 12. JUNE. 2022
stolen nova
MASTHEAD
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julian de la Celle
CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tina de la Celle
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Dean Bradshaw Nadia Lee Cohen Charlie Gray Wanda Martin Joshua Spencer
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Scarf & jacket by Stefan Cooke
ANSON BOON THE STAR OF DANNY BOYLE’S NEW SERIES PISTOL TALKS TO US ABOUT BECOMING THE PUNK PIONEER JOHNNY ROTTEN, PERFORMING LIVE AT ONE OF THE SEX PISTOLS’ FORMER STOMPING GROUNDS, AND WHAT HE’S LOOKING FOR IN FUTURE PROJECTS.
Photography. CHARLIE GRAY Fashion. HOLLY WHITE Words. JULIAN DE LA CELLE Grooming. PETRA SELLGE @ THE WALL GROUP Retouching. MAMMOTH RETOUCH Special thanks to HOPE & ANCHOR PUB
All clothing & necklaces Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello Rings by Tilly Sveaas
All clothing by Celine Rings by Tilly Sveaas
Julian de la Celle: Pistol is a fantastic series, and you are certainly one of the standouts. I’d love to hear the process of getting into Johnny Rotten’s head and how you crafted this character to be someone who feels so genuine? Anson Boon: Initially, I got into John’s head by reading his books and listening to all the old interviews and videos. Hearing him speak about that time period and his opinions on events gives you a route into his ingenious, contrarian mindset. I decorated the walls of my trailer with photos of him and their rehearsal studio, timelines, old clothes of theirs, and charts of their progress, which really allowed me to be swallowed up by this world. That intense level of immersion was what kept me grounded in the truth of it all rather than allowing it to ever become a caricature. Julian: Were you a fan of The Sex Pistols before this? Anson: I was loosely a fan of their image. I say loosely because I was only mildly aware of it, and by image, I mean I knew the most famous sections of the most famous songs, and I knew about stereotypical punk fashion. Learning about The Sex Pistols and the punk movement as a whole has absolutely blown me away. This is a band of working-class boys who had no obvious chance at success in music, yet they persevered against all odds and changed music, fashion, and culture forever. I’m so inspired by them. Julian: What do you listen to normally? Anson: It changes seasonally, I think. In the summer I love 90s dance and house music, whereas in the winter I quite like 80s synth-pop or modern British rock. Punk has opened up a lot of doors for me musically. Having played the singer of The Sex Pistols, I can recite every lyric of all their songs, and now I know the meaning behind the words. I truly consider The Sex Pistols my favorite band of all time… but I do love The Clash too. Julian: How did you prep to be able to sing so much like Johnny and have the stage presence that he had then? Anson: My favorite part of the show is that every single musical performance you see was recorded live on the day. The sound from what was shot on camera is what you hear when you watch the series. It was always Danny Boyle’s dream that we could create our own band, but not a tribute act - a version of the Sex Pistols which captures their sound and message but isn’t an impression. We spent 3 months in “band camp” before shooting,
Anson (con’t): ... learning to play our instruments (or to sing, in my case). It was a bit like school. We would have these different lessons throughout the day: private tuition, group music practice, listening sessions, and musical improvisation, etc. Becoming a real-life band forged a bond between us actors that we could never have achieved through any means other than music. It really gave us confidence to walk on stage every day with eight cameras and an audience of two-hundred extras staring at us and give an authentic performance inspired by our newfound heroes, The Sex Pistols. Julian: What is one of your favorite memories from set? Anson: I have two favorite memories. One is playing at the 100 Club. The Sex Pistols played there many times in their early days, and the building is largely unchanged, so it felt spookily exciting to be standing where I know my real-life counterpart once stood. It’s a very special music venue ingrained in British culture, so to play there for real (3 times!) was a privilege. I always had the biggest voice in the room because I had the microphone, and Danny used to ask me to get into character long before the cameras turned over to really excite and rile up the audience. Danny was so hands-on and enthusiastic. My second favorite memory is trekking around Texas with my band mates and Danny whilst recreating the Pistols’ infamous tour of the Deep South. Danny would take us to all these obscure dive bars and churches in the middle of the desert and roll the cameras, then ask us to improvise. It was so much fun. Danny is a huge punk fan and was so excited to tell this story. His attitude was infectious. Julian: What would be a dream role for you to take on next? Anson: It isn’t so much about a specific role for me; it’s more about the collaborators. We are always learning, but particularly now, so early on in my career, I’m trying to be a bit of a sponge and soak everything up from my more experienced colleagues. I would love to keep working with directors and collaborators who are at the top of their game.
Pistol is currently streaming on FX and Hulu now.
All clothing & boots by Alexander McQueen
(left) All clothing & necklaces Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello (right) All clothing by Stefan Cooke Boots by Manolo Blahnik Rings by Tilly Sveaas
All clothing & boots by Celine Rings by Tilly Sveaas
(left) All clothing by Celine Rings by Tilly Sveaas (right) All clothing by Alexander McQueen
All clothing by Stefan Cooke Boots by Manolo Blahnik Rings by Tilly Sveaas
EMMA
APPLETON
TAKING ON THE INFAMOUS NANCY SPUNGEN IN DANNY BOYLE’S PISTOL AND ALSO STARING IN THE SOON TO BE RELEASED EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT LOVE, APPLETON IS CERTAINLY ONE TO WATCH.
Photography. WANDA MARTIN Photo Assistant. MARTON ZSENI Fashion. KAREN CLARKSON Words. JULIAN DE LA CELLE Hair. JOSH KNIGHT at Caren using Bleach London Make Up. NAOKO SCINTU Special thanks to LAYLOW
Dress by Valentino Necklace & rings by Stephen Webster Shoes by Gina
(left) All clothing & accessories by Saint Laurent (right) Jacket, skirt & shoes by Lanvin Tights by Falke Sunglasses by Celine
(left) Dress by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini Necklace by Stephen Webster Shoes by Gina (right) All clothing and accessoriees by Saint Laurent
Julian de la Celle: Let’s talk about Pistol. You take on the infamous Nancy Spungen. Tell me about how this role came to you and what it was like when you found out you booked it? Emma Appleton: I received an email back in the Summer of 2020 simply stating “DANNY BOYLE UNTITLED TV SHOW” with some fake sides to read and was instantly intrigued as to what it could be. I sent a tape off and months later got a call from my agent saying Danny wanted to zoom with me for the role of Nancy Spungen and that was the first time I discovered what the project would be. A few weeks later I stood in my kitchen jumping up and down asking “Really!? Are you sure!?” As my agent told me I’d been offered the part.
Emma (con’t): ... friendship essentially. It’ll make you laugh and cry and hopefully want to call your friends and go for a huge catch up and then out dancing. Julian: What were the major differences for you filming these two projects? Emma: The characters were a million miles away from each other in almost every aspect. Originally I thought playing Nancy would be harder as she’s further away from me but actually being able to delve into a character so completely different from myself was easier. The layers of costume, hair and make up and an accent helped a lot with that. Playing Maggie had a lot of crossovers with my life. I was in my early twenties in 2012 (when the show is set), I can relate a lot of my experiences to Maggie’s and it was harder to distance myself from her day to day.
Julian: What was your process like becoming her? Emma: As soon as I knew I’d be playing Nancy I scoured the internet for information about her history and stories people had told about her. I made a scrap book of her many iconic photos and watched the few videos of her that exist. Most importantly I read And I Don’t Want To Live This Life by her mother, Deborah Spungen. I was very aware I would be playing an interpretation of Nancy but it was important to me to weave in some truth about her past and how she came to be the person she was. To have a different understanding of Nancy. That could only come from someone close to her. I also worked with a dialect and movement coach in rehearsals in the lead up to shooting.
Julian: And then bringing in The Witcher into the fold, how was that compared to these other two? Emma: Doing a job like The Witcher is special because I learnt a whole new set of skills I never would’ve picked up in my regular life. Of course the acting was just as important but I spent a lot more time on The Witcher in fight training and trying to perfect the choreography of the fight scene. Every job is different and that’s the absolute joy of the work. For me I feel like I’m constantly pushing myself outside my comfort zone and realising what I’m capable of with the help of some of the most skilled people in their field.
Julian: What was it like getting to work with the great Danny Boyle? Emma: Working with Danny was like going to the best drama class on offer every single day. Starting with a few months of rehearsals meant we all got to go in and talk through scenes with him, offer up our ideas, see him work and build chemistry with our fellow actors. On set he’s a powerhouse of passion, energy, knowledge and ideas. It really felt like playing. There was an air of freedom to the scenes where we could try anything and if didn’t work that was ok because sometimes it did and it was as if we were navigating our way to the truth of the scene.
Julian: What type of role would you like to take on next? Emma: I’m interested in anything that’s different from what I’ve just done or set in a different time period I haven’t visited before. Maybe something set in the 50’s or 60’s. I find the aspect of transformation so intriguing and fun, building all of these layers to become a character and figuring out their dynamic with those around them, why they are the way that they are. I’m mainly just interested in people. I’ve never particularly set myself expectations and always been surprised at what has come my way and I’d like to maintain that.
Julian: Tell me a bit about what we should expect from your upcoming series Everything I Know About Love? Emma: Everything I Know About Love is a rom com drama about figuring out your twenties, living with your best mates and what happens when two best friends start to navigate their lives separately and what that looks like. It’s a love story about female
Pistol is currently streaming on FX and Hulu now.
Top, jacket, skirt & shoes by Lanvin Tights by Falke Ring by Stephen Webster
Dress by Valentino Necklace & rings by Stephen Webster
(left) Dress by Valentino Necklace & rings by Stephen Webster (right) All clothing by Lanvin
(left) Dress by Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini Necklace & ring by Stephen Webster (right) All clothing and accessoriees by Saint Laurent
LOS ANGELES MUSICIAN JOSH LANDAU VENTURES INTO SOLO TERRITORY WITH HIS NEW PROJECT...
STOLEN
NOVA
Photography. NADIA LEE COHEN Words. JULIAN DE LA CELLE
Julian de la Celle: Tell me a bit about how you even started playing music and what it was that excited you about it? Josh Landau: My dad plays guitar so it was always around. He bought me a Fender Mustang when I was two from our neighbor... later it turned out the guitar was stolen... the serial number was burned off! He didn’t really play me records or force stuff on me. He plays kinda folky jazz - chords I still don’t understand... it wasn’t til I was eighteen that I really heard the Beatles or The Stones for the first time… When I was twelve I saw a punk band play at a skate shop called The Grind in Venice - the singer spotted me and told everyone I was his little brother. I realize that probably lit a spark. Around the same time, about seventh grade a girl gave me a burned Operation Ivy CD & a Misfits CD… that was pretty much it. Cut my hair into a mohawk and started playin’ guitar. Julian: You also skate and surf, how has that world influenced you musically? How did growing up in LA directly influenced you? Josh: You hear the music in skate videos and video games, you see what older kids are playing on their boomboxes at the skatepark. It would be Bad Brains, The Adolescents, JFA, Wasted Youth, Dead Boys... all punk... then listen to it so much you check out what those bands were listening to, follow it back to The Stooges and The MC5, Hendrix, The Sonics. The first place I probably heard Queen and Bowie’s “Under Pressure” was the Birdhouse skate video “The End”. Also the original Bones Brigade show video with “Skate and Destroy” in it and Lance Mountain cruising around LA. You see a lot of wild shit growing up at Venice Beach. Funny characters, fights, fights in the water surfing, zombies in the alleyways, aggressive skate surf style. Dogtown and Z Boys the documentary changed my life for sure as a little kid. Learning that history and also it being right in my neighborhood. Julian: You’ve been in various projects, Rabies, Easy, The Shrine, and now Stolen Nova is your first time going solo. What has this process been like for you? Josh: Stolen Nova is so different to all my bands before. There’s a much greater risk and reward going on. Took all pandemic to decide if I was using my actual name or Stolen Nova and it was kinda torturous but it worked out right! I’m loving the freedom to work with different producers and musicians and songwriters without feeling married to anyone.
Julian: What is your setup for these Stolen Nova? Josh: I have a bassist named Alex, a drummer Colin, and a synth player Owen who also helped produce the tracks for all the shows so far...we just did a little run opening for Mattiel in San Diego, LA, and San Francisco and it ripped... the band is locked in and ready to go. Julian: Tell us about the time you performed on your billboard in Silverlake. Josh: [laughs] Well, for the debut single “Vortex,” I wanted to really commit to all of this. To the name Stolen Nova. To this new identity I dreamed up. So we got this billboard, and when it was up, and the song was released, I noticed you could get on the roof from the back if you had a big enough ladder. I decided to climb up on Saturday morning when they have the flea market below. I had to buy a wireless guitar unit and have some friends down below with my amp on the rolling dolly. The ladder was really sketchy because it was so tall. I was up there, and the guitar amp down below was pretty loud. The people at the restaurant below and the flea market went crazy. They got so mad and aggressive that they tried to pour water on my amp, and it nearly escalated to a fist fight down on the ground. Meanwhile, I just kept playing... check out the video. The cops pulled up, but I was coming down by then. Then afterwards, the restaurant apologized for freaking out so hard and brought us a round of shots. Julian: What’s next for the project? Any tours or music videos we should be on the lookout for? Josh: I have a music video directed by Charlie Denis that we shot in London that’s coming out this summer for the next Stolen Nova single... him and Nadia and myself ran all over London for a few days shooting in February. At one point we were in the pissing down rain in front of Buckingham Palace at midnight trying to get a shot. We felt like complete lunatics. It was miserable and freezing. We also spent several hours in a filthy alleyway in Chinatown where flower girls would come in groups to pee before going back out to sell their roses.
Blazer by Alexandre Vauthier Skirt by J London Shoes by Golden Goose
THATCHER
Photography. DEAN BRADSHAW Fashion. TARA NICHOLS Words. JULIAN DE LA CELLE Hair. AMBER DUARTE @ RYENREPS Make Up. NATHAN HEJL @ RYENREPS Special thanks to HARVARD & STONE
SOPHIE
STAR OF SHOWTIME’S HIT SERIES YELLOWJACKETS, THATCHER HAS BECOME A QUICK STANDOUT IN THE ROLE OF “NAT,” A YOUNGER VERSION OF THE ICONIC JULIETTE LEWIS.
Jacket by Gucci Skirt by Dodo Bar Or Shoes by GCDS Sunglasses Vintage
Top by A.L.C Trousers by Alexandre Vauthier
Julian de la Celle: So, why acting? What was it about acting that first drew you in? Sophie Thatcher: I can’t exactly pinpoint the moment I knew I wanted to pursue it; acting was always just an inherent interest of mine. I found myself taking on different personas and characters growing up after watching anything. After striking inspiration from a character, I would challenge myself to change my voice or dress differently. Growing up, I made my own movies with my twin, cast all my friends, and took them very seriously. My older sister is an actor, and I remember growing up going to her shows and thinking what she was doing was the most honorable art form. I grew up drawing, painting, writing stories, and leaning toward anything artistic, but acting was always my most serious interest. Somehow it made the most sense. From a young age, I had an endless number of stories I wanted to tell, and acting was the easiest way for me to tell them. Julian: Then jumping forward, you find out you booked the role of Nat in Yellowjackets which soon becomes one of the most talked-about shows. What was the audition process like for that? Emma: I was filming another show in Vancouver in 2019 and remember getting the self-tape request from my agents. The character description immediately felt very natural and fit into my wheelhouse of characters I play well. I’m not saying that the character is me, but I found myself in that realm of characters around that time. I was always leaning towards outcasts/ underdogs. I did the audition with an actor friend quickly. I had a really fucked up haircut; I have a habit of cutting too much of it off, going into bowl cut/ uneven bangs territory, and I had my favorite leather jacket on. I didn’t think too much about it afterward. But months later, when I was back in New York, I got a call from my agents, and they remind me about the project and gave me the news. I didn’t know Juliette Lewis was attached before the audition, but they let me know later, and I couldn’t have been more ecstatic. Everything came together effortlessly. We shot the pilot months later in LA, and then came nearly a year of everyone shriveling up in their homes and waiting to hear if the show was really happening during the static of the pandemic. Julian: This must be such a fun set to be on with everyone around the same ages and with a show that’s written this well. What has been our biggest takeaway from this show or any advice you might have gotten from Juliette, who plays an older Nat?
Sophie: This show helped me jump out of my comfort zone and taught me to be more flexible and present on camera. Playing Natalie became second nature very quickly, so I was able to explore and rid myself of overthinking. I also really appreciated the pace of this show because I didn’t have time to overthink. I formed such a strong connection with the character that I was usually able to let myself go once we were shooting. Juliette set the expectations very high for me. She’s such a fascinating, spontaneous, and wildly alive actor. She taught me to stand up for myself and helped me so much with the process of getting into the character. She was so specific about the intricacies of Natalie; what she was wearing, why she was wearing it, her past, her taste, and her body language. From now on, every character I play will be looked at with a fresh perspective, and I hope to uphold that attention to detail Juliette has with her characters. Although in the moment it might feel like minute details, it really does help to create a wellrounded and lived-in person. Julian: I know you also play music. Do you have any intention of putting music out legitimately down the road? Sophie: Music is absolutely my first love, and I want to keep it that way. I think the more lowkey I keep it, the more I can maintain a healthy relationship with it. I was releasing music on Bandcamp for years. I like that the algorithm doesn’t fully take over on Bandcamp - you can just release it without too much thought put into what will come of it. Once I take into consideration the audience and aftermath of a release, it takes away from the initial personal experience and honesty. I have a very specific taste with my music and art, and I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but that doesn’t bother me. I have two songs I’m working on right now that I’d like to release before Yellowjackets starts again just to put them out there and move on with new songs. Julian: For anyone reading this who is aspiring to be an actor but might be afraid to take the leap, what advice would you give them? Sophie: Create your own work. Film with your friends. Write your own scripts. If nothing is happening, you have to make it happen for yourself. Get used to improvising and letting loose and get confident in how you move and feel in your character’s body. Find a group of people to work with that support you and bounce ideas off each other.
Yellowjackets is currently streaming on Showtime now.
(left) Blazer by Alexandre Vauthier Skirt by J London (right) Blazer Dress Vintage Yves Saint Laurent
(left) Blazer Dress Vintage Yves Saint Laurent Tights by Wolford Heels by Helmut Lang Choker Stylist’s own (right) Top by Thierry Mugler Trousers by Alexandre Vauthier Shoes by GCDS
(left) Helmut Stylist’s own Jumpsuit by Grayscale (right) Top by Thierry Mugler
Top by A.L.C Trousers by Alexandre Vauthier
Tank by Calvin Klein Leather pants by Dsquared Boots by Christian Louboutin Jewelry by Lillian Sharon
JAMIE CAMPBELL BOWER STAR OF SUCH FRANCHISES AS TWILIGHT, HARRY POTTER, AND NOW STRANGER THINGS, CAMPBELL-BOWER IS READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD.
Photography. WANDA MARTIN Fashion. AVO YERMAGYAN Words. JULIAN DE LA CELLE Grooming. CAROLINE HERNANDEZ Special thanks to THE ORIEL COMPANY
All clothing by Kuon
(left) Suit by Dolce & Gabbana Scarf Vintage Blank tank by Calvin Klein Necklace by Saint Laurent Ring by David Yurman (right) Hat Vintage Tank by Calvin Klein Leather pants by Dsquared “Sex” belt by Martine Rose Jewelry by Lillian Sharon
(left) Suit by Dolce & Gabbana Scarf Vintage Blank tank by Calvin Klein Ring by David Yurman
Fringe jacket by Bode Top by Etro
Julian de la Celle: I first saw you in Sweeney Todd back in 2007 and was instantly drawn in. Funnily enough, I used to sing “Johanna” for my theatre auditions whenever it was necessary to sing. Looking back on that now, what do you think the biggest mindset shift has been for you? What have been the most impactful lessons you’ve learned along the way? Jamie Campbell-Bower: First of all. That’s amazing. What a great song to sing! I was so lucky to start when I did and to have been given all the opportunities I have. I was obviously quite young when I started, eighteen, and there is a certain callousness to youth. That’s not to say that I wasn’t aware of my luck and grateful for all the work but certainly at that time one has a mindset of immortality as it were. As I’ve grown older I’ve become so much more aware of my own failings and the parts of me I need / needed to work on. Nothing lasts forever and I’ve learnt that. I have always been dedicated but now I truly throw myself in with no distractions, I’d much rather give all of me than just a portion. I suppose that’s been the biggest shift. Julian: Going back a bit further, when did you decide to pursue acting? Was/is anyone else in your family an artist? Jamie: Birth. I was the child that would put on shows for their family in the living room and make them painstakingly watch. My brother is a musician / producer, my mother was in A&R at major record labels and my father was working in marketing for labels also. We have a history in our family of art and artists. Julian: You’re now in one of the biggest tv shows in the world, Stranger Things. That must be exciting! How did the role come to you and what was the process of booking the role and creating this character? Jamie: Exciting, yes. An honor, 100%. I was in Los Angeles with my brother working on some music and an email came in asking for a tape for Stranger Things. Immediately Sam and I dropped everything, something about this felt special and right. We returned to my apartment and taped two sets of sides. One from Hellraiser and the other from Primal Fear. There was no character breakdown as far as I can remember but I sort of had an instinctual inkling as to who or what this person was. We then travelled back to the UK where upon arrival I received another email asking for another tape this time with dummy sides from the show. What would later become the Chrissy scene. Sam and I taped this. Then there was an arduous wait over the Christmas period. The
Jamie (con’t): ... eternal space between Christmas and New Year felt like and age. Then a phone call. Matt and Ross wish to meet. I hopped on a plane, with a folder full of images for reference and met with Matt and Ross. It all feels like a blur now. Julian: Let’s shift gears a bit to music. You actually just released a new single under your solo project Jamie Bower. Love that song, and the Johnny Cash version has always been a favorite of mine. What made you decide to cover it and then add your own spin and parts to it? Love the dark gothic western twist. Jamie: It’s a great song isn’t it? I was away on vacation and the song would not leave my mind. One day I just sat down at my computer and demoed the whole thing. There are parts of the demo still in the final version. My ethos now is get it in the moment. Make it living. Make it live. Anyway I sat back from the demo and knew I loved what we could do. I called Matthew Terry at Vada and asked if he had both space / time and if he knew any drummers / lead guitar players. We were blessed with the opportunity to work with Mikey Demus and Arya Goggin from Skindred and what you hear on the record is us playing together for the first time. It’s very special. It just came from a place outside of myself and we’re all so thankful and happy with the result. Julian: What advice would you give other actors out there just starting out or going through a dry spell of working? Jamie: If this is what you want, if you love this, stick with it. Times will be hard. You may not always get what you think you’re going to get and failure is the only way to learn. Keep going. Be dedicated. Know that you love this and trust. completely trust. Julian: What’s next for you? I know you mentioned directing potentially being a new path. What type of roles are you looking to portray or types of projects you’d like to direct? Jamie: I have a story in mind that I’m working on with a writer friend here in Los Angeles but more about that when we are ready. Art comes to us when we least expect it and when we are out of control of our own lives. So, what am I looking for? I don’t know. Something that continues to inspire me and to work with like-minded and talented people. Oh, and to keep it spooky.
Stranger Things is currently streaming on Netflix now.
(left) Tank by Calvin Klein Leather pants by Dsquared “Sex” belt by Martine Rose (right) Top & pants by Etro Sunglasses by gentlemonster
(left) Suit & top by Etro (right) Hat Vintage
Shirt & pants by Bode
Photography. Joshua Spencer Words. Julian de la Celle / Interview. Dani Miller
VIAGRA BOYS
FOR THIS INTERVIEW WE DECIDED TO ENLIST THE HELP OF DANI MILLER, FRONTWOMAN OF PUNK OUTFIT SURFBORT, TO CHAT WITH VIAGRA BOYS FRONTMAN SEBASTIAN MURPHY. THE RESULT WAS A+.
Dani Miller: Okay, sick! I’m here with the one and only Seb from Viagra Boys. Sebastian Murphy: Hello! Dani: Are shrimp stonks still going up? Sebastian: Always. More than ever. Dani: What’s your favorite gas station snack? Sebastian: I would say maybe gummy worms. Dani: Sick. Sour ones? Sebastian: Regular too. Dani: He likes worms. I love Welfare Jazz, duh. Tell me the theme of the new record. Sebastian: The new record is much more playful and less dark. There’s a lot of themes of monkeys and cave people and evolution and stuff like that. Dani: Having fun and evolving. Sebastian: Yeah, or devolving. Dani: That’s more fun. Okay, how did you become shrimp daddy of the Viagra Boys? Sebastian: Like how did I become the lead singer? Dani: Yeah. Do you want to hear what my theory is? Sebastian: Yeah. Dani: Okay, I heard that you robbed an old lady’s ice cream store. And then you escaped and you set up shop hiding out in the desert in a trailer park full of hot strippers. And you made an empire there, you lived out there for a while and then the cops finally caught up with you. So you had to burn it all down. Shoot fireworks off. And then you escaped to Sweden, where you did plastic surgery and fully tattooed yourself and now you’re the lead singer of the Viagra Boys. Sebastian: Yeah, you’re right. You’re exactly right. Dani: Sick. If you were to give advice to the youth, or old people, what’s a saying you live by? Sebastian: Work hard. Go fuck yourself. Dani: Hell yeah, that’s great. Go jack off after you work all day. Sebastian: Masturbate as much as you can, as long as you work all the time. Dani: What’s your favorite band right now? Besides Surfbort. Sebastian: Besides Surfbort, I would have to say maybe Amyl and the Sniffers.
Dani Miller: Hell yeah, that’s your number one. They’re slaying. What’s your writing process with the band, especially for the new record? Sebastian Murphy: Well, usually we write the music together or someone writes a riff. Then I’ll just make up some bullshit lyrics or just kind of sing made up words so we can get the way it might sound. And then we record a demo of just the music, usually. Then I try to write something that actually means something. Then we practice it, and re-record it. Dani: That’s the secret recipe. Sebastian: Don’t tell anybody. Censor that part. Dani: What’s the Swedish music scene like and do you have any sick bands over there that you want to shout out? Sebastian: I don’t know, it’s kind of lame. Dani: Okay, well skip that question. Sebastian: I don’t really know too much about any of the new bands. It feels like indie is really big in Sweden, and sad boys singing is very “in”, and I’m not really into sad music. I am sometimes, but mostly old sad music, not new sad music. Dani: Yeah, new sad music too emo. By the way, right now, he’s swimming. So it’s an extra special interview. Okay, very important. Pepsi or Coke? Sebastian: Coke Dani: Yeah, that’s what Tony Hawk said too. Sebastian: Oh good, I’m just like Tony Hawk. Dani: Okay, what’s your favorite way to eat shrimp? Sebastian: I’d say in a white wine and garlic sauce. That’s the way I like my shrimp. Dani: Do you wear sunglasses to bed? Sebastian: Yes Dani: Okay. Of course. Yeah, duh. What should we look forward to in the next year for the Viagra Boys? Sebastian: Well, we’re gonna try to send our music through a black hole in space. But we need to get funding for that first. So we’re just going to play the sickest shows ever. Make sure that some people see this and want to fund our project, our space project. Dani: Fuck yeah. I can’t wait. Sebastian: Yeah, otherwise we’ll just get rich off male modeling.
Dress Archive by Isabelle Saubadu
WITH HER FIRST SOLO RECORD OUT ON JUNE 24TH, WILLIS IS BEAMING WITH EXCITEMENT TO PUT HER MUSIC OUT INTO THE WORLD.
SCOUT LARUE WILLIS Photography. WANDA MARTIN Fashion. TARA NICHOLS Words. JULIAN DE LA CELLE Make Up. JO STRETTELL Hair. RICHARD COLLINS @ TMGLA Special thanks to BAR LIS
(left) Jumpsuit by Galvan London (right) Top Vintage L. Magnin Pant boots by Balenciaga
Dress by Hamel
Julian de la Celle: Your first solo record comes out on June 24th, how does it feel to have something like this so close to being out in the world? Scout Willis: It feels MAGNIFICENT! It feels like a cycle of action is finally about to be complete after so many years of work, both internal and external. The timing has all been so divinely orchestrated, and yet there have been times when I’ve felt quite impatient and far away from this moment! So, it’s so luscious to be here finally. I’ve also experienced some contractions, fear, tenderness, anxiety, all of the little friends that usually accompany this sort of artistic birth. Julian: When did you start playing music and what was it that influenced you to start? Scout: I’ve been musically inclined since I popped out of the womb! I grew up watching musicals almost exclusively for years, and my sisters and I put on a lot of performances for our family and friends. It’s always been tied to play, self-expression, and emotional release for me. My relationship to that self-expression has contracted, shifted, and grown over the years, and I feel grateful that once again, music and performance feel like play to me! Julian: You talk about this idea of feeling like you couldn’t pursue music full-time out of fear or misperception, but finally realized that that’s exactly what it was, fear. What was the moment for you that shifted that mindset and allowed you to just go for it? Scout: It wasn’t one moment in particular, but rather a series of moments and experiences strung together, wending closer to music, only to find an excuse to pull away again. One particularly powerful moment for me was at the end of 2019 when in a spiritual psychology class I was taking, I finally unearthed the story I’d unconsciously been running that was keeping me from truly going for it. I realized that, of course, I was holding back; my music was the most raw, vulnerable, tender parts of myself laid bare, and if I were to put it out into the world and fail, or be judged, or somehow still be found wanting, it would feel like dying. And as soon as I recognized that for what it was, a story, and was able to bring compassion to the part of myself that truly felt like it was a life or death situation, suddenly everything clicked into place, and within three months, I was in a recording studio starting my album.
Julian: What piece of advice would you give people who have the need to pursue their art, but have felt held back by fear or the idea of not being good enough, etc? Scout: Honestly, the first thing I would tell them to do is to let go of the idea that it’s somehow bad or wrong to be afraid and stuck. We spend so much time judging ourselves for not being where we think we should be or for being too afraid to share our art. But the truth is, with all that energy going towards self-judgment and pointless shame, well, of course, we don’t have any energy left over to be courageous or creative!! So releasing the idea that it’s not okay to be exactly where you’re at in this very moment would be my first piece of advice. It’s so gorgeously tender and human of us all to be afraid, isn’t it? Once we accept and honor that, I think it frees up a lot of space for creation. What would you do, and who would you be if you knew you couldn’t fail? Julian: You seem to be a very visual person. A lot of the shoots you’ve been doing to promote this album and the music videos are all very creative and executed beautifully. Do you find that the music and the image attached are both quite important? Scout: First of all, thank you! And secondly, to me, they are equally important! During the process of making them all, I finally realized that I wasn’t just a musician who happened to be really specific, had a ton of ideas, and was always worried about stepping on toes! I’m a visual artist who knows exactly what she wants to create and loves collaborating with other artists! It was like I came out to myself as a visual artist!! I feel incredibly grateful for all of the magnificent people I got to work with on these pieces who allowed me to step into my power and find my voice as a visual artist. It feels interdimensional. There is the me who had the experiences and wrote the songs, the me who recorded them, and now the me who is peering back through the ether to figure out how to visually represent all of those versions of myself and the universal truths in each song. If I had the resources to do so, I would make a video for each song on the album Beyoncé style and turn it into a feature film.
Scout LaRue Willis comes out on June 24th.
Dress by Magda Butrym Heels by Saint Laurent
Dress by Manuri
(left) Bodysuit by Izaak Azanei (right) Dress by Hamel
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