ISSUE 7
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EDITOR S LETTER AFTER GIGAWATTS
Festival was over, I started to think about where we go next as a publication and then I fell asleep for about a week straight. When I woke up, I sat down and started brainstorming. There were two options, continue to be as big as issue six was which didn’t seem sustainable in the long run, or go in a totally different direction. Throw everyone a curve ball. Daniel Schlett on the cover? I’m sure a lot of people are scratching their heads as to who exactly he is, but for everyone that isn’t aware of him another person is extremely excited. If you look at the records and bands that are "big" in the Brooklyn scene, Daniel was involved in a lot of their records. Also, Daniel rules, anyone who knows him can verify this. The choice to have Daniel on the cover definitely set the tone of the issue. Not necessarily in terms of what bands would be included, but in terms of the vibe of the issue. I like to think of this issue, for lack of a better term, as a more organic feeling issue. Whereas our last one was bright and colorful and in your face, this one is a bit more subdued, but no less
important. This issue feels more local than the last. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but organic and local are the words I’ve associated with this issue in my mind. From bands that have been around for over a decade like sham-poo to newcomers, Ceramics, this issue is a pretty solid representation of what’s happening right now and what has been happening for a long time. This month we kick off our residency at Muchmore’s. Every Wednesday we’re taking over the venue to showcase some of our favorite up and coming bands as well as some secret friends. All residency shows are free, so you have no reason to be a bitch and stay at home. Brandon has been working on some ideas involving bringing Art Crush into a more real world context. Not necessarily a printed version of Art Crush, but parties and events and art shows, etc. We’ve also got some more secret type stuff that we’re working on, but seeing as this is Brooklyn, nothing stays secret for very long. It’s time for you to get like Bob Seger and TURN THE FUCKING PAGE.
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TEAM ISSUE 7
EDITOR IN CHIEF/
DANNY KRUG
PHOTOGRAPHER ASSOCIATE EDITOR/ILLUSTRATOR LAYOUT DESIGN ILLUSTRATOR WRITERS
BRANDON JOHNSON DANIELLE LEE KEVIN LI DAN BERKMAN JILLIAN BILLARD ASHLEY CANINO GABRIELA JUNE TULLY CLAYMORE LEAH LOVECAT EMILY WHEELER
FASHION EDITOR
AMBER SIMIRIGLIA
CONTACT gigawattsmag@gmail.com facebook.com/gigawattsmag instagram @gigwattsmag 2
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contents ART TIA DORAN
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comics by
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DAVID OWEN BEYERS
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ELIZABETH FARRELL
MUSIC 10
ADVAETA
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SURFING
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CERAMICS
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EASTERN HOLLOWS
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SHAM-POO
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SLEEPIES
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BIG UPS
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LODRO
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DANIEL SCHLETT
FASHION 26
MONOCHROME INDIFFERENCE
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THE (BASED) GOD COMPLEX
mens fashion
womens fashion
EXTRAS 32
GIGAWATTS FESTIVAL
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1.21 GIGAWATTS MIXTAPE & STUFF WE’RE LISTENING TO
by
CAL FISH
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COMICS
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Tia Doran
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david owen beyers aka
BOATZ
If you ever smoked weed in the basement of Big Snow then you’re familiar with the work of David Owen Beyers aka Boatz. Beyers specializes in 90s psychedelic creature art. "My monsters are scary looking, however, they seem like they could be your friend," he explains. His monsters have the usual monster features of gross faces and limbs, but come packaged with things such as awesome t-shirts, cutoff jorts and sick record collections. Beyers has also been a longtime collaborator with Lost Boy ? both visually and musically. Beyers cites a broad range of influences including "early 90s MTV", Aliens, Predator, Ren and Stimpy and Spawn. In his process, Beyers does things "wrong" on purpose which is apparent in his aesthetic, it feels somewhat off, but on purpose. It’s not a formal style of art that looks like it took many years of schooling and years to master. The work’s charm is in it’s unrefined nature, which only aids in catching the eye of the viewer. Beyers’ work can be seen around town and on most Lost Boy ? releases as well. check out more artwork at davidisboats.tumblr.com
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Elizabeth Elizabeth is trying to paint the picture of the modern young woman, seeking comfort and meaning within the loud bombardment of excess and objectification we now experience. While the subject matter is often glaring or ridiculous, the images maintain a sense of minimalism and space to keep them isolated. There is a loneliness in them, as there is in anyone’s process with growing up. However, for a generation that grew up constantly connected to the internet, these images are what we have no choice but to build ourselves around. Her work is both a critique and an homage to this. It is an exploration of what individuality means when built from a reality that is constantly changing and thriving on vanity, image and Beyonce. check out more artwork at lizafarrell.tumblr.com
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Farrell
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words by andrew alexander prieto photography by danny krug
Spend five minutes with the members of ADVAETA and you’ll realize that all three of them are very strong, distinct personalities and that’s what makes this band unique. Their three personalities, that in a different context might clash creatively have come together to create a sound that is bigger than most three piece bands. In juxtaposition to some of the more flash in the pan, "just having fun" bands that pop up around Brooklyn, ADVAETA is doing what they do because they’re three best friends that have a need to make art and that art comes out in the form of this band. The current incarnation of the band including Lani Combier-Kapel, Amanda Salane and Sara Fantry has been around for about two and a half years, but they’ve been playing together for about five years. The songs are big and at times ethereal with layers of guitars echoing and blending into one another to create sounds that build until they reach a breaking point at which time ADVAETA might take the song in an entirely different direction only to bring it back around to where it once was later in the 10
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track. This is witnessed most evidently on "Gold Though Exit" off of the group’s newest 7" record where the track almost could be multiple separate songs, but somehow ADVAETA holds it together in a cohesive manner that makes sense to the listener. Where listeners might walk into a show, see three girls on stage and draw certain pre-conceived notions, ADVAETA works to shatter those notions. "We really just want to be seen as artists and musicians, and that’s it. It’s empowering to be all women, it just shouldn’t be the selling point." says Amanda. They have the ability to create a sound together and exude a confidence on stage that few bands, regardless of gender, are able to achieve. The dynamic in the band isn’t quite the same as other bands that might have a clear lead guitarist, lead vocalist, drummer and bassist. Instead, ADVAETA all share the role of lead vocalist and Amanda and Sara switch off lead lines and bass lines on their guitars. ADVAETA is experimenting with their sound and musicianship in ways that a lot of bands here in Brooklyn aren’t, and
it’s working. It’s been said that in order to remain relevant you can’t be relegated to any one genre, and that is this band. There are elements of different genres in ADVAETA that are distinct such as post punk and shoegaze, but Sara points out that their genre is "ADVAETA." They are their own thing, they don’t subscribe to any specific genre or musical trend. ADVAETA is heading out on tour this fall and are currently working on their debut full length which will hopefully be out soon.
people were taking us really seriously,” Chris said. SURFING played over 100 shows in their first year as a band, and played showcases at both CMJ and SXSW. However, watching videos of their performances inspired Jordan and Chris to refine their sound into something more polished while maintaining the furious energy of their punk set, “We watched videos and were like, ‘This is not what we want,’” Jordan said. We want to be musical, we want to be something that we can be proud of in terms of the recordings.” The duo released their demo tape INGRAMZ last year, encapsulating their young sound in anticipation of their inevitable transformation.
SURFING formed just over a year ago
in the quiet college town of Harrisonburg, VA. Jordan Stern and Chris Burden—both students at James Madison University— met through the punk scene that rattled the city by night. SURFING originated as a pseudo surf-punk band with sarcastic whiny lyricism and an explosive live set, “It started out as a joke with the name cause we were mocking these really lame bands and then all of the sudden
With their latest single “"Hollow Sparrow," SURFING unleashed a washedout shoegaze track that combines the impulsive aggression of INGRAMZ with a more produced aesthetic.“"Hollow Sparrow"”displays SURFING’s wideranging influences—combining anti-folk lyricism with jazz-inspired vocals. The track is submerged in messy fuzzedout guitar progressions, dreamy layered melodies and Jordan’s lilting voice. This new refined sound is in part credited to the irritable neighbors in the band’s former Harrisonburg apartment. With Chris working constantly, Jordan found
herself plugging into an inbox and writing songs alone on the computer in order to appease the man downstairs.“"It was hard because there was no collaborative aspect and very minimal live aspect to our sound,"”Jordan said. "That aggression is really hard to portray any sort of energy when you’re plugging into a computer. It’s not raw at all." Now that the duo has relocated to Bushwick, they have reclaimed the ability to collaborate on tracks and hope to release a few singles in the near future. In the new recordings, the band wants to maintain the intimacy of listening to a mastered track with the communal energy of a live performance. Although SURFING has been working constantly to put out a 7”, their efforts have been stalled momentarily as they look for a new bassist and drummer in New York City. The search for a new band is a small upset in SURFING’s trajectory, “"We know where we’re headed,"” Jordan said. "It’s just a matter of finally having the time to do it, which we do now."”
words by gabriela june tully claymore photography by danny krug
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words by jillian billard photography by danny krug
I met up with Ray Dellamura and Sascha Gray of Ceramics the morning after my first time seeing them play at Muchmore’s. Unfortunately bassist, Paul Assante, couldn’t make it. I was excited to speak with them after witnessing their passionate set. The band’s sound is tight and full despite being a group of three, and is reminiscent of early Sub Pop bands. It’s immediately clear that these guys know what kind of sound they want to create and are doing a hell of a job. Entering their Bushwick apartment felt like a dream--the walls were covered in CD inserts, photographs, sketches, and band posters. They kindly sat me directly in front of the fan in their kitchen (it was a typically sweltering and wet summer day) and they began to tell me about themselves. "So you wanna know how we got started?" drummer Ray asks. He begins "so I’m on the train, and across from me I see this guy, and he’s wearing a trench coat and a Yankees beanie and drinking a Heineken." Sascha, who plays guitar and sings vocals, is laughing in the corner, adding "this was way before trench coats and beanies became a cool thing to wear." Ray continues, "So later on I see this guy at a party and we start talking about music. And yeah, that guy was Sascha." The two hit it off right away and discovered that they had some mutual friends. It wasn’t long before they began jamming together.
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Ray, Sascha, and two of their buddies began playing together in a band called Stamps.” Unfortunately the band broke up for various reasons, but Sascha and Ray agreed that they wanted to keep making music. They already had songs written and just needed a bassist. Paul Assante immediately came to Ray’s mind. Paul and Ray were in the same Spanish class at Brooklyn College. Paul deduced that Ray was a drummer from his drum keychain and his constant finger drumming, and asked him to jam some time. Though they didn’t play together right away, Ray knew that Paul was the guy to call when he and Sascha were looking for a bassist. The story behind their simple name is rather interesting. One of their friends was feeling down and his aunt invited him to come to ceramics class with her. He started to create a bunch of cool ceramic objects. So Ceramics is like a coping mechanism, a creation of the concrete from fragile material. One of the pieces, a snail ashtray, is actually the image on their first EP, “It’s Funny Because You’re Not Even Real." Ceramics has only been together for about half a year but so far they’ve made massive strides. Ray has been playing in punk bands since he was thirteen, and says that "I’ve never enjoyed playing with a group so much as with Ceramics." Their list of influences includes Black Flag, Fugazi,
MDC, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, The Melvins, and Elliott Smith. "Every day is fun!" Ray exclaims. "New York is like living in Disney World all the time." But their goal is to tour and travel all over the place with their friends, Island Twins. "We’re having a lot of fun. But we’ve definitely got big goals."
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n December 2012, Brooklyn show circuit staples Eastern Hollows released "Summer’s Dead" the lead single from their forthcoming, self-titled LP. The song highlights a few of the band strengths; simple, catchy melody, stand out choruses somehow constructed of one repeated syllable, and a pattern of build and restraint. Since that tease, the length of a human female’s gestational period has passed, and the band is finally ready to debut the follow up to July 2012’s Days Ahead EP. Coincidence? If the new album wasn’t floating in fluids and growing feet and eyeballs, what took so long? Bassist Brian Brennan’s bantering boasts band beleaguerment: "I think we learned a lot about how not to record a record." Process kinks aside, the band is energized by the progress they have made together over the past year and some change. "We’ve developed a better feel for each other musically," shares Martin Glazier, who sets himself apart from the band’s two other guitarists by paring down his
sound and having a really long commute. "Now when we do write songs, we have a better sense of how we as a band can do justice to a given idea." Most notable about Eastern Hollows’ music is how they develop ideas and see them through. There is a level of commitment that comes through and makes each song robust. Singer Travis DeVries’ vocals, in particular, add a dense and beguiling layer toEastern Hollows’ Brit rock via the Northeast United States via Bushwick aesthetic. Despite some confusion over what the lyrics are in any given tune, there is no doubt about their significance. Distortion and a call to authenticity are tropes of the Brooklyn music scene, but Eastern Hollow’s ability to blend the two is unmatched locally. The band cites among their influences The Cure--whose song "Fire in Cairo" includes reference to the "eastern hollows--," Ride and The Smiths. According to guitartist Sean Gibbons, the sound the band achieves is the fulcrum where they
balance toward and away from their big name influences and other local players. That flexibility lets their music breathe in a productive, but insular community. "The idea is not to really be in a scene... the idea is to get out of that," says Travis. The guys disagree over how much the path to greater exposure can be forged without the help of a label, or on their own promotional efforts but are unified in their attitude toward the music they write together. The five piece all want their product to be heard by someone in some way, but are happy to take the time to focus on the product first and promotion second. "That’s legitimacy," says drummer Jeremy Sampson. "Creating something you’re really proud of that stands the test of time."
words by ashley canino photography by danny krug
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SHAM-POO "SOPHISTICATED BOOM-PUNK." Whatever your interpretation of that is, you immediately "get it" once you start listening. Their songs are fast paced and short in length, which makes it that much better. Inspired by punk legends such as The Clash, The Replacements and The Ramones, Mark Fletcher and Jonah Wolf have taken the music of their idols and molded it into something of their own. "Without resorting to meaningless intangibles like ‘energy’ and ‘chemistry,’ I’ll say that a lot of what works about Sham-poo is Mark’s and my comportments onstage: we’re both very kinetic performers with distinct looks", explains Jonah Wolf. Quickly rising in Brooklyn popularity, Sham-poo are known for their live performances. A strong stage presence that sometimes comes packaged with Mark Fletcher removing his clothing, this is a band who are undeniably memorable.
EP, Sham-poo, though very proud of their release, state that their is something about their live show that they can’t quite bring across on the recording. "There’s a kind of homey vibe to a lot of our shows that won’t come off on the record", further explains Wolf. As if there wasn’t already a sort of ‘boy scout" feel to the DIY music scene, its something extraordinary to see a crowd react so intensely and so positively towards a band they may have seen time and time again. This is something that seems very important to these boys. They want to make a connection to the crowd who keeps coming to see them play and by the looks of it, their beloved followers adore them. In situations where some may easily be turned off, everyone applauds Fletcher’s choice to disrobe. At this point, its expected. It’s something that makes them unique and shows that they have guts, or in this case, balls.
Having recently released their self titled
Not to diminish the bands reputation as
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"the band that strips on stage," Shampoo can fully back up their stage antics. Their music contains classic punk/pop songs. Reminiscent of the aforementioned Ramones, Sham-poo write songs that grab you by the throat and keep you in a hypnotic daze. There is something about quick pop songs that don’t get the recognition they deserve, especially in the Brooklyn DIY scene. For the past year its been about the overindulgence of sound, fuzz, reverb. Now, it seems things are taking a more organic turn. Bands are holding back on the distorted vocals, using less guitar pedals, making things less like a science project. Perhaps people are realizing that music, though formulaic, shouldn’t be an overthought process. This is a quality that Sham-poo showcases. There are no drowned out vocals or minute long solos. What good does that do? Nick Sylvester produced and mixed the EP, a production which showcases Sham-
poo’s sound rather well. It’s clear and pristine, you can hear every instrument and every note, you’re not straining your ears and that’s wonderful. Sham-poo doesn’t leave the listener thinking "well, that was great, only I wish I knew what he was saying." Nope, none of that. Wolf further added that drummer Jonathan Edelstein, who wasn’t recorded on the EP, helped push the band forward within the past few months. Its amazing what the addition of the right person can do for a band. Even more commendable to their sound is their passion. "I don’t ever see myself not being a part of sham-poo--its tattooed on my chest, it will be a part of me forever", says Fletcher. "Sham-poo taught me how to rock, there’s nothing that’ll ever take its place in my heart and I don’t see it ending anytime soon." There is something so genuine and so sincere about that statement. You read it and believe him, every word of it. That sincerity translates over to their music. Those short and sweet tracks that are to the point and clear in their message. Its put out right in front of you, whether body parts or music, its right there on stage and its waiting for you to listen. words by leah marchesano photography by danny krug
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Since 2007 singer/guitarist Thomas Seeley, drummer Max Trembley and bassist Josh Intrator have been calling themselves Sleepies while playing instruments and yelling into microphones. The truth is they have been making music together for far longer than that, but with different names, directions (dance punk, lo-fi pop, etc), amounts of instruments, and sometimes faces but each of them never really ended up going anywhere. After the metaphoric dust was settled, the trio decided to refocus and finally find their own voice which just so happened to be the music of their youth - punk. However the style that they developed is not a paint by numbers approach which is refreshing in a time where many bands define themselves as "post-post something",
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"heavily influenced by whomever" or whole goal is to play at The Fest. The music Sleepies makes is not easy to categorize because it is as limitless and changing as their creativity. When comparing them, I think it is far easier to say it is reminiscent of a time, place and attitude rather than simply saying who most influenced them. They are an "independent" band in the way the term was created to define the off-kilter period where hardcore was becoming college rock but no one quite knew what to call it yet. The music of bands like The Wipers and Zero Boys, to name a few, that startled the line between the speed of punk which raised them and incorporated different ideas to create something unexpected
and original while testing the limits of free expression the genre offers. Josh explains "People are kind of afraid to call us a punk band, which is actually not such a bad thing. To us the most punk rock thing you can do is make music you like that is hard to pin down." Over their time together Sleepies have been quietly evolving in their practices, shows and writing sessions and became a desperately tight trio for such seemingly shambolic tunes. On their latest release, the amazing "Weird Wild World", the band has been able to keep the fast pace of their earlier work while developing the ability to deliver crushing tempos like on "Cool Boy" "Combat", "Strange Feelings" and "Seriously" while discovering other flavors
words by dan berkman photography by danny krug
to what the band can sound like the title track as well as "Waste Water." However the pace of writing, recording, touring and playing these songs left the band drained and unsure of what to do next. Max described the process rather bluntly "I think what came out was really good but the writing process was frustrating. For a lack of a better phrase it was growing pains." During this period the head of their record label (Godmode) and sometime producer Nick Sylvester recommended doing a cassette EP with the guys. "It is a good thing to do between records, as a way to try out new approaches and ideas without feeling like all is lost". By being able to focus on a small and low-risk release it
took some of the pressure off the band’s writing and freed them up to do what they do best. Nick and Sleepies decided to record their EP live on eight track 1/4 tape (Tascam 388) at the Silent Barn and mixed all in one session. The results are fantastic as Sleepies were simply built to shine on the medium as the hisses, pops, distortion and warts only serve to make them sound better. The 1/4 tape does some weird and unexpected things with super high frequencies like cymbals, vocals and electric guitars causing them to pop and mutate in ways you can only get on an analog piece of recording. Tapes work best when an artist just bashes out their songs and submits to the medium’s will.
Sleepies new EP is going to include four songs – three originals and an 8 minute cover of Public Image Limited’s classic "AnnaLisa" which will come out on September 7th as part of National Cassette Day. They will also be headlining a record release party and cassette fair at Silent Barn the same day. Although just a brief EP on a seemingly forgotten thing like a cassette can capture the sound of a band working out their frustrations, learning to play together again and as usual testing the limits of what they can get away with and create together. Pretty good for just a "punk band" if i do say so myself.
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Big Ups met while studying Music Technology at NYU (none of the band members are originally from New York) and decided to form a band. "I wrote a bunch of songs one summer, and Brandan and Amar had been in a surf-rock band together, and I had done a project with Carlos and knew that he played guitar, and I asked if he played bass and that’s how it started and it’s completely become it’s own thing."”At first they couldn’t get booked anywhere— their first show was on frontman Joe Galaragga’s rooftop with fellow local act Flaglands—and since they were relative newcomers to Brooklyn, they didn’t have the social network that many new bands use to get shows. "It took us awhile to get into the Brooklyn DIY institution," Joe tells me. "We pretty much played for two years at bars we would never want to hang out at. We practiced really hard and played to the point where someone saw us and added us to a bill. If you play a lot and make yourself visible people will notice." One of those people was Eden from DIY mainstay Death By Audio, who put them on a bill with PC Worship, one of Joe’s favorite bands. Since then they’ve been a strong presence at Brooklyn venues, especially Big Snow and Shea Stadium. "Shea Stadium has been super helpful and supportive of us. The So So Glos gave us advice on how to be a band, basically." Big Ups are especially known for their extremely energetic live shows, which usually find Joe in the crowd running in circles or pummeling the air. When asked if it was tiring to
put so much effort into every performance, the band said it was actually the opposite, that the adrenaline that kicks in actually alleviates any tiredness they may have had before. In addition, live shows are an outlet for the band, allowing them to do things they’d never do normally, helping them deal with the pressures of modern life. They write about those pressures as well, most notably in the track "TMI." It’s a Catch-22, being a band in the 21st century, at least according to the members of Big Ups. On the one hand, tools like Twitter and Facebook allow an up and coming act to connect with fans in a very direct way, whereas "in the past you needed to have some sort of third party, be it a magazine or the radio. Otherwise you’d only ever play in your hometown." However, there is a downside, as the ability to be exposed to so many more bands means that fewer are memorable. "You can find out about seven new bands a week, listen to their music, and be immediately bored," Joe tells me. "I hope we make something that lasts longer. But what’s the best way to make something that lasts but that people also hear? That’s the conundrum of the internet: more people will hear it, but will it matter?" Another pressure Big Ups are forced to deal with is scheduling. All the members have day jobs, and balancing them with their band duties can be challenging and amounts to what is often a twenty-hour workday: "go to work, load in and play the show, go to bed really late" and repeat the whole thing the next day. The band says that
they only really get a good night’s sleep on the weekends. It was especially difficult, they said, when they were recording their upcoming LP, 18 Hours of Static, which they did in February, in a warehouse with no heat (the band wants to thank Charlie, their engineer, for making the process fun and more bearable). The album will be the first release of Derek Evers’ (of Impose) new label Dead Labour Records. Big Ups aren’t leaving Brooklyn any time soon, but Joe says he misses his hometown of Baltimore, where, like most places that are not New York, being in a band is a very different experience as there is a more tight-knit community. Joe’s band, which "no one cared about" regularly got on bills with acts such as the now defunct Double Dagger, that friends would organize in basements. Amar, who was in multiple groups while attending high school, agrees, saying that they tended to be less influenced by what was going on in popular culture—"It was much more of a local feel." What really keeps them here, Amar tells me, is the band itself. That, and post-show meals at Bushwick Pita Palace. "Other cities like Baltimore undeniably have some pull, but for now Brooklyn is our home." 18 Hours of Static is set to be released on October 8th via Dead Labour Records.
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words by emily wheeler photos by danny krug
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ne of the songs on Brooklyn band LODRO’s page is called "Big Sleep for Alice," and some listeners compare the track—erroneously, according to vocalist Lesley Hann—to the popular children’s novel Alice in Wonderland. "I don’t remember where that started," says Hann, "but it has nothing to do with Alice in Wonderland. It’s a true story." However, there is another fictional work "Big Sleep for Alice" is reminiscent of: the classic 1946 noir film The Big Sleep. Both the film and the song exude the same creepy, unsettling vibe. LODRO go so far as describing their sound as "neo-noir punk"”and projecting black & white images of neon signs and urban grit behind them during their live set, turning it into quite a suspenseful and cinematic experience. It also helps that Hann has cultivated a very sinister stage presence ("She’s scary!"”I heard audience members comment during LODRO’s set at Union Pool in June). The creep-factor of her vocals is also enhanced by throbbing basslines and hazy guitars. From this description, it might sound like the band is laying it on a bit thick, but they do it so well that the gloominess doesn’t seem like an act. Up on stage, it’s easy to imagine that the lives of the musicians are as lonely and deranged as the flickering neon behind them. Additionally, this dedication to the atmosphere and overall listener experience is
what sets LODRO apart from their peers. The band—whose name is apparently an acronym, the meaning of which is currently still under wraps—is comprised of Jigmae Baer and Jeremy Cox (formerly of Royal Baths), and Lesley Hann, formerly of eighties sounding synth-pop group, Friends. They wrote their material last winter while living in the unheated warehouse known as Market Hotel, which could certainly explain a lot. They recorded the tracks at Market Hotel as well, on a 4 track, and are working on an LP which they plan to have finished by the early fall (this time using a Tascam 8 track). Now that Market Hotel is closed for renovations, Hann told me that they were all couchsurfing, a lifestyle that LODRO apparently appreciates. "I just don’t like being in any one place for too long, I get antsy. That’s something I learned about myself. I think I feel the best when I’m in a different place every day." LODRO is planning on touring this winter, which Hann tells me is the best time for a new group to tour since more well-established acts are taking time off after the summer festival circuit. In the meantime, they are playing a ton of shows around Brooklyn, which might make the band antsy but is great news for the rest of us. As to their ideal tour, Lesley says it would include Spain. "I was there when I
was in Friends, and we played in Barcelona for Primavera. But we had a week and a half off beforehand and I stayed in Europe and went to hang out with Royal Baths who were also in Europe at the time." Lesley and Jeremy have both reiterated that music is the most important thing for them, the only thing they feel they can really do well. "My parents gave me a cassette player and recorder when I was very little and I started playing different instruments when I was a little kid, music just always felt like the most important thing to me."” Jeremy started playing guitar at fourteen. "I wasn’t really doing well in school or in any other aspects of my life and I realized that music was probably the only thing I can do and not totally screw up." In other interviews, the band has stated that creating music is the only thing keeping them sane. Listening to their music, it’s easy to believe that. It’s the sound of straddling the line between sanity and madness, a line explored by many noir films. Let’s hope LODRO continue to stay on the right side of that line. LODRO is set to release a 7" single in October.
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words and photographs by danny krug illustration by kevin li
"You don’t just have to play the guitar. You can be the guy who records the record as well and puts the microphones up and does that whole thing." Daniel Schlett initially became interested in recording after seeing a friend’s name in the credits of an album. "I was touring and had this studio space…I was on the road for a while with this one band and tour wasn’t that awesome. When I got back I decided that is was time to not be on the road and focus on the studio." At the time, Daniel was about 19 years old and renting a relatively cheap studio space in New Jersey while still living with his parents to cut back on expenses. This allowed him the opportunity to be able to record his friends’ bands for a reasonable cost as well as hone his craft. During this time, Daniel ended up meeting and becoming involved with Samantha Urbani, future lead singer of Friends, who was a student at The New School when they met. When Samantha didn’t want to live in the dorms any longer, she asked Daniel to move to New York with her. Upon moving to New York, Daniel had a chance encounter at the grocery store with Pere Ubu bassist, Tony Maimone, who introduced Daniel to his future partner in Strange Weather, Marc Alan Goodman.
Fast forward many years later and Daniel is now the most notable engineer/producer in the contemporary Brooklyn music scene. The roster of bands he’s worked with includes DIIV, Oberhofer, Friends, Total Slacker, Jangula, Dances, Life Size Maps and so many more. The albums that Daniel has worked on have become, in a sense, synonymous with the "Brooklyn sound." From DIIV’s "Oshin" to the upcoming Total Slacker and Life Size Maps LPs, the general public perception of Brooklyn music is being shaped in part by Daniel and his Strange Weather studio. Nestled in an unmarked building up the street from the Graham L stop is the newly built Strange Weather studios. The new location has only been open since last fall, before that Strange Weather was located on Broadway off of the J Train in a basement apartment that was piled high with all sorts of recording equipment. The original space was adequate in being an operational studio that could allow bands to create amazing sounding records, but compared to the current space, Strange Weather
Broadway was like a starter kit. A year into Daniel and Marc working together at the Broadway location, they decided to upgrade to a bigger spot that would become the current studio. After doing some research into building a studio they realized that they really had no idea how to build a proper studio, so they enlisted the help of some professionals to build exactly what they needed. Three years after starting to relocate, Strange Weather reopened, and Total Slacker came in to be the first band to record in the new space. Since then Daniel has been working seven days a week with the best bands in Brooklyn and even bands from outside of the city who have heard his records and want to sound "more Brooklyn." Daniel’s strength lies in that he is fully on the band’s side. His aim is to make records that allow his friends’ music to sound as good as it possibly can. He achieves this through his vast knowledge of gear and recording, but more importantly through ISSU E 7
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the way he interacts with the musicians he works with. His methods of influence are subtle and non-abraisive, but watch closely and you can see Daniel’s influence over the way the band plays while they’re in his studio as well as his influence on the finished track. He isn’t trying to make every band he records sound as if they’re putting out a "Daniel Schlett record," but rather he spends time getting to know they bands well both as a musical entity and individual people. The result is a product that feels organic and genuine. Sure, sometimes outside influence of management and labels will swoop in an do their best to destroy a recording, but for the most part, the combined vision of the artist and Daniel is what ends up on your turntable. Strange Weather is a place where the outside world and time don’t seem to exist. It’s definitely a place where bands can get lost in their music and recording doesn’t feel like work. It feels as if you’re hanging out with a bunch of good friends and you also end up making something awesome in the process. Compared to other studios that might feel too official or sterile, Strange Weather feels like you’re at a friend’s house which is probably because you sort of are, both Daniel and Marc live in the same building that houses their studio. Through a pure love of the work they are doing, Strange Weather has achieved that intertwining of work and life that happens so often here in Brooklyn and only serves to make everything better in the end. Long hours don’t feel like long hours because it’s all fun in the end, even if it technically is all work. Daniel Schlett and Strange Weather are not only important because they make all of our friends’ bands sound great, but also because the records made in that studio are what people point to when they say, "I like what’s coming out of Brooklyn right now." If you dig into your record collection, you’ll most likely find at least one record credited to Daniel and with albums such as the new Total Slacker record set for release early next year, you’ll likely find multiple new Strange Weather/Daniel Schlett additions to your collection soon. You can also catch Daniel’s current band White Bike around town from time to time when he’s not working non-stop at Strange Weather.
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SUMMER INDIFFERENCE VIBES MONOCHROME styling by amber simiriglia
photography by danny krug model winston scarlett
Deter Clothing sweatshirt Paul Smith shirt Dockers shorts We Love Colors socks Tricker’s shoes Model’s own glasses
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Lightning Bolt sweater Charles and a Half shirt Levi’s shorts We Love Colors socks Florsheim by Duckie Brown shoes Model’s own glasses
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LEFT Sparkle & Fade top Isabel S-K skirt Cheap Monday belt and ring Maryland Vintage earrings AESA necklace BESS X UO shoes RIGHT Suzanne Rae dress Cheap Monday shoes 1884 Collection earring
THE (BASED)
GOD COMPLEX styling by amber simiriglia
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photography by danny krug
makeup by candace turner styling assistant crista simiriglia model gabrielle blevins
LEFT Isabel S-K top and pants Maryland Vintage chains and earrings Cheap Monday ring BESS X UO shoes RIGHT Suzanne Rae top and pants Cheap Monday shoes and ring Beaufille necklace
LEFT Isabel S-K dress AESA necklace Maryland Vintage chain Cheap Monday ring Converse shoes RIGHT Suzanne Rae dress Cheap Monday shoes 1884 Collection earrings
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LEFT Isabel S-K jacket and shirt Silence + Noise skirt AESA necklace Cheap Monday ring Converse shoes
RIGHT Suzanne Rae top and pants Cheap Monday shoe and earrings
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GIGAWATTS FESTIVAL as seen by Cal Fish To celebrate our 1 year anniversary and sixth issue release, we threw a party. A really big party. For two days, twenty of our favorite bands played Silent Barn. Headliners included Total Slacker, Heaven’s Gate and Dead Stars. Turnip King’s Cal Fish brought his camera and captured the event.
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mixtape vol. 7 Listen online at gigawattsmag.com
Butter the Children - True Crime EP
Haybaby - Nightmare Man
ADVAETA - S/T
K.Flay - What If It Is
stuff we’re listening to
WANT YOUR BAND FEATURED IN 1.21 GIGS? WANNA SAY WHAT’S UP TO THE PEOPLE OF THE MAG? SHOOT US AN E-MAIL AT GIGAWATTSMAG@GMAIL.COM ADD US ON FACEBOOK.COM/GIGAWATTSMAG FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @GIGAWATTSMAG
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