INF#1 by Infirnity Magazine

CONTRIBUTORS: Emma Daly, Alan Davies, Gordie Tentrees, John Fielding, Tim van Urk, Sable Chief, Knife The Wolf, Mellisa Fague, Michael Clements, Sal Balafont, Christine Kalliri, kirschi94, Tristen Coy, HappyxCupcakesxSama, Yakitatemaster, Julian A. Rodriquez, Jess Joao, Adam Graddy, Elodie Mison, Lydia Pryba, Kim Gauge, Srdce, Vitor Moura, Steven Mole & Eugene A. Kuleshov

http://www.infirnity.ca VOLUME ONE – ISSUE #1 (October/November)

STAFF: Rick De Vries Sandra Pedler

| Publisher | Creative Assistant

INFIRNITY MAGAZINE is published 12 times per year (September/October, October/November, November/December, December/January, January/Febriary, February/March, March/April, April/May, May/June, June/July, July/August, August/September) online and in print. All images used within this publication were used with permission and remain the property of the respective creators. Under no circumstances is this publication to be manipulated, distributed or reproduced in any way without the written consent of the publisher.

If you are a musician, artist, film-maker, photographer or writer and would like to see your work featured, send us an email at info@infirnity.ca and we will do our part.

CONTENTS: PG.03 PG.08 PG.11 PG.12 PG.17 PG.20 PG.26 PG.29 PG.32 PG.34 PG.36 PG.39

: Publisher’s Choice : ARTSPOT : Michael Clements : Cover Story // Emma Daly : Sable Chief : Knife The Wolf : Tim van Urk : Alan Davies : Melissa Fague : Gordie Tentrees : Grey Kingdom : Submitted Gallery // Shannon Hreha

S. Mole / Rephocus Imaging ÂŠ 2013

Yakitatemaster ÂŠ 2013

ARTSPOT Gallery compiled by Rick De Vries

“Mutated” “I have been creating digital art since the late 90's and this piece (Mutated) was created using a fractal program called Mandelbulb 3D. I created this piece about a year ago, but never published it until recently. I thought it resembled a thistle that had mutated and a bit metallic at the same time.” – G. Symmons

“Girl With Guitar Study” “I was trying to come close to the things that I have always admired in Picasso's and Braque's works, and through constant struggle and frustration I have managed to reach that level where I can look at a piece that I have done, and look at a piece they have done, and know that I'm in the ballpark. There is something else I would add also, which came as a revelation to me. Yesterday, I was in the local library (I'm a regular visitor there) reading a wonderful book on the life of Picasso, and in it, it showed an early photographic work by Picasso dating back to 1910-13, where Picasso was superimposing photo negatives to create filtered effects - to put that into perspective that is a good 80-90 years before that idea was realized in Photoshop (as far as I'm aware anyway) - that totally blew me away! I'm aware that photo collages were done as early as the 30s, but filtered effects?! Wow!” – K. Gauge.

“Unthinkable” “I just love to paint for myself and I draw on the fly as I see it. Therefore, when I’m drawing, I don't really know what the end result will be like - I have no idea and image - It appears in the process of my work, so when I see that in my opinion the picture is ready, I'm done with it. With this one, everything just kinda came together but I did try to stick with a darker medium, because the dominance of ponies and other bright images, which I find highly annoying, already suffocates art. In my opinion, drawing purely to be sold, we must make more effort to create something that really touches all. “ - E. A. Kuleshov E. A. Kuleshov © 2013

Michael Clements, 71, from the United Kingdom went to the CentralSt. Martin’s School of Art in London because of a scholarship. He says, in terms of relevance and inspirational value, British visual art is in his opinion, the worst of all Europe.

Originality is what sells Clements. Some of his favourites and influences include the works of H. Bosch and Rousseau le Douanier, as well as places such as art galleries, museums and the like. “Horselady” © 2013 M. Clements

Having a need to earn a little extra money and having some schooling in art, Clements says that was all the reason he needed to start selling his work commercially.

Why does he work with batik? Because no one else tries it.

“Always be ready to change style or medium when your work starts to get stale.” – Michael Clements

The first time I heard her sing

Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain” on YouTube, I got goosebumps...

EMMA DALY Q&A by RICK DE VRIES

Since that first listen, Daly has gone on to record more covers – “A Lack Of Color” by Death Cab For Cutie, being one and has begun working on her second EP which is due out this month.

Can you give me some information on your origins? Where are you from? Where did you go to school? What led to you becoming a performer and where did the name for your new song "After It All" come from? Could you give me some details? [ED] I was born in Vancouver, BC and I've grown up here. I went to a school called Windsor House; it's a very small alternative arts school. Kids would literally be running down the halls in sparkly pink stilettos and playing guitar during class meetings, it was great for someone like me. It definitely helped shape me into the person I am today. Almost all of the kids who went there were into some form of art in one way or another and it was great just hanging out with them and getting to vibe off of each other and just create things together. All of us were very driven. I've loved singing since before I can remember and had a huge passion for music at a very young age, but I was always the shyest kid around. It wasn't until about 12 or 13 that I started breaking out of my shell and realized my love for performing. I kind of stole my mom's old guitar one day and taught myself some chords. Then I learned a bunch of City and Colour songs and just kept playing, until I started writing my own songs. I took a few piano classes when I turned 16 and it just sort of grew from there.

After It All is a song I wrote just after breaking up with somebody I really cared about and the name sort of speaks for itself; it's about the aftermath of a breakup - once you've had time to let it all sink in, and the feelings that come with that.

Could you relate some of the best moments or highlights you have had over the length of your career and how they've affected the path that you're on? [ED] I am still so young and just beginning my life as a true adult in the music world, so I still have so much to learn. But honestly it's the people I've met more than anything that have shaped who I am today and the path I'm on right now. Meeting other musicians and just jamming with them, getting to play shows with my friends and just absorbing as much art and culture and music as possible is absolutely amazing and I would have nothing to write about if it wasn't for that. The more I perform and write and do what I love to do, the more I learn about myself. I

feel so blessed to have such supportive people in my life.

What are some of the highlights from the last year or so? Could you explain? [ED] I recently finished a 3-month songwriting intensive called IGNITE! held at The Cultch in East Vancouver, during which I was mentored by some artists I've looked up to for quite some time- Aidan Knight, Kathryn Calder and Giorgio Magnanensi. There were six of us in the program and we all became incredibly close during those few months. I got to work with a bunch of young people who share the same passion as I do, not to mention working with artists who have inspired my own music. It was one of the best experiences of my life! We had two performances at the end of the program in May, so we all worked our butts off to make them the best performances of our lives. It was great to have something like that to work towards, and that's definitely been a huge highlight for me this year.

What are some of your favourite songs to perform live and why? [ED] I'd honestly have to say this changes constantly. Usually my favourite songs to play live are ones I've recently finished writing, because they often reflect how I'm feeling at that time and my heart is completely immersed in that state of emotion. Not to say it isn't that way with older songs, but there's something special

about playing a new song live. It's like you're baring your whole heart and soul on that stage and just completely letting the audience in. So right now I'd have to say After It All and Unconscious (which I haven't actually released yet) are my two favourites.

Can you tell me about your song "After It All" ? What is it about? Where did you record it and with whom? What were you hoping to accomplish with this recording and do you feel you've reached your goal? Could you explain? [ED] To me it's about a relationship that has emotionally ended, and trying to hold on to that physical aspect to revive it. Basically, I thought my love was enough to keep him and I blamed myself for what broke us apart, and for all my memories and continued love for him. I recorded it at DCM studios in North Vancouver, BC with a good friend of mine, Tyler Pearson. All I really wanted to accomplish with this one was to make something very raw and completely real. I just want to make people feel what I feel when I listen to a great song. I always strive to reach my goals every time I create something, otherwise what's the point right?

Do you feel like you've grown as a musician? Has your sound evolved over time? [ED] I've absolutely grown as a musician

and I feel like if you're not constantly growing and evolving in what you do, no matter what it may be, then there's really no point. I think my sound is always evolving because I constantly hear different ideas in my head of what I want to do with a song and it's just a matter of whether or not I'm able to execute them with what I have to work with at the time. I look back on old songs though and think "oh man, the things I would change in that chorus if I were to go back". I'm just thankful that I can keep making new music and learning more about myself through everything I do.

Are there different styles or sounds you try to incorporate from recording to recording and do you do this for yourself or do you keep fan opinions in mind? [ED] I honestly just love the idea of making something so natural and even flawed, because that's what we all are, you know? I love when you can hear the slight hum of a microphone or somebody tapping their fingers on a table or a string buzzing in the background, because that's real, and to me it adds such a feeling of rawness and emotion that I really like. I've kind of had to argue with producers over that in the past and it can be frustrating but in the end, if I am 100% behind what I'm creating then I know other people will be behind it too.

ÂŠ 2013 E. Daly

Tell me about your life away from family and friends while you're on the road, if applicable. If not, what is it like waiting to go onstage regardless? What kinds of things run through your mind before a set? [ED] I haven't actually had the chance to go out on the road yet (soon, hopefully!) but I absolutely love the feeling I get before going on stage. It's not a nervous feeling so much as just those anxious-excited butterflies, sort of like the ones you get when you really like somebody. I love performing more than anything in the world, I am definitely happiest when I am on stage.

How about hobbies - what do you like to do for fun? What kinds of music inspires you? [ED] I'm kind of an artsy freak so I really love things like poetry slams, painting and sketching, photography, things like that. I also love hiking and riding my bike, but my

all-time favourite thing is going to concerts. There's nothing quite like the high you get from seeing an amazing band live, it's one of the best feelings. I'm inspired by such a wide variety of music, I'm one of those people that listens to EVERYTHING. I grew up with a lot of classic rock; The Beatles, The Stones, Led Zeppelin, they were always playing in our house. I also grew up with a lot of Leonard Cohen, he really inspired me to start writing and he got me really interested in poetry. As I grew up and started getting seriously into music, Dallas Green has definitely been my greatest musical influence; he's one of my biggest heroes for sure. I just love what he does, the way he works and I really admire everything he puts into his music. I feel like we have very similar minds.

Do you have any funny stories you'd like to share? [ED] If you hung out with me for even half a day you'd realize that embarrassment pretty much follows me around. Last week I played a show at a cafe downtown and forgot every single word to a song I was playing so I literally made them all up in hopes that no one would notice. People definitely noticed.

What's on the horizon for you over the next couple of months? [ED] I'm currently recording my second EP which will be released in October 2013, and I'm hoping to plan a little week long minitour after that. I've also been working on some stuff with Chris Ramos (http://facebook.com/incirclesofficial) who is this really great producer/multiinstrumentalist from South Florida. He's releasing his first full-length album this January and I've been working on some lyrics and vocals for a few of his tracks, which I'm really excited about. I'm also really focusing on getting my demo out to as many people as I can, I just really want to get my music out there. That's my main goal within the next year.

SABLE CHIEF An interview with Jeff Pardy Sable Chief came together in the fall of 2011, a fusion of members from other bands that had fallen by the wayside (Tim’s Fine Grind, Skeleton Key, The Hot Faucets) with the idea of doing an album for the RPM Challenge – a project that never saw fruition but lay the cornerstones for what was to come.

when you're young, so I hung out with his old brother who is closer to my age when I went out of town for holidays and big events like weddings. After hanging out with him a few years ago and hearing his chops, I knew he was someone that would be a solid bandmate, both as a stand-up guy and having the skills to write great songs.” After Pardy came back from doing an MA in Windsor (English: Creative Writing) in 2011, he talked with Tim and broached the idea of starting a band, explaining that It was just a case of us all being in the right place – that is, ready to start a new band – at the same time. “I didn't know that Tim and John[Conway/Bass] had the history they did – musically and friendship-wise – which made things flow from the start,” Pardy says. “John and I got along right from the beginning and jamming was fun from day one.”

“Basically John and Tim had been jamming for a while, playing in bands and they were roomies at Memorial University. After their old band, Tim's Fine Grind, broke up, the boys decided to do an album for the RPM challenge. They never quite got the product finished in time, but the upside was that we had a bunch of songs to jam right from the start when I came into the picture,” says Pardy. “Tim and I are cousins and our respective bands – The Hot Faucets was my band at the time and I think his was Skeleton Key - had played a show or two together in the past.” In general, Pardy opines, they respected each other as musicians and thought a solid band could come from that. “Growing up, even though we were cousins, Tim and I never chatted much,” he adds. “It wasn't intentional, it was just that he's a few years younger than me, five I believe. That's nothing when you're older but quite a bit

Pardy opines that one of the biggest factors in a band succeeding these days is chemistry, explaining that It's a hard thing, harder than some people might imagine, to have a band in which everyone's happy and gets along where there's no drama.

“I've been in a lot of bands and this is, perhaps, the happiest I've been with regards to that. There's no pressure. We set up shows when we can, jam when we can,” he says. “When Tim has a new idea he'll bring it out to practice and it'll evolve naturally from there.” Sometimes, Pardy admits, it's a lot of jamming, and sometimes Tim needs to take it [the music] home and give it more structure. “Sometimes Tim and John get together and hash it out, and sometimes that happens at practice when all of us are together. It's a really enjoyable process and we're really supportive of each other's ideas, which makes things very fun and easy,” he says.

Where does the name "Sable Chief" come from? [JP] Sable Chief was the name of the dog that was the mascot for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment during WWI. I'm a bit of a history nut and I really wanted a name that came from Newfoundland and Labrador history or represented the province in some way. I think some of the best names for bands coming out of this province – Great Big Sea, Rawlings Cross, Beaumont Hamel, Signal Hill, for example – are like that. I wanted us to follow that tradition, to be a part of it. The boys were cool with it and really got behind the name. Since then we've become more and more proud of it and I couldn't imagine us being called anything else.

Is where you are from something that has influenced your writing? [JP] Yes, where we are from has a huge influence on our songs. We are in no way a part of the Newfoundland Irish-Folk music tradition, but some of those elements are reflected in our music, distilled through a rock n' roll form. Some of the bands from out of that have influenced our style include Queens of the Stone Age, Them Crooked Vultures, The Police, Protest the Hero, Muse, Tool, and local acts such as Matthew Hornell and Hey Rosetta! And I think you can see how a lot of those influences appear in our stuff in interesting ways. Lyrically, we are definitely heavily influenced by Newfoundland culture and history. Take “Ashes,” for

example. That's about two brothers that are picking up the pieces years after the death of the father, a fisherman, who drowned during a storm. “Open Water” is kind of like the other side of that coin, the story of a sailor who is fighting to keep himself from drowning after his ship has been destroyed by a storm. “Died a fisherman” is about a man who is comparing his life to that of his father, even though they're completely different people work-wise – he's a businessman and his father was a fisherman. As Tim likes to say, “our songs are about birds and boats.” So yeah, our material is indeed influenced by Newfoundland culture.

Could you relate some of the highlights or best moments you have had over the course of your career and how they have affected the path that you're on? [JP] As I mentioned before, in general we have a lot of fun every time we're out so it's hard to pick any specific highlights. For me the best moments are when we pack the bars we play at. For example, we played a show at the Fat Cat a few months ago and we and the bands we played with filled the place. It was the best night the bar had had for months. Aside from that, the night we recorded our demo at CBTG's was a great time. In general, I feel like the best is yet to come for us. We're in the process of saving up to record our first album. We also plan to get t-shirts made and to go on tour in the near future. So there's a lot of highlights that are coming up in 2014.

What are your favourite songs to perform live and why? [JP] For me, “Wreckage” and “Mockingbird” are my favorite songs to perform. When we make the album I think “Wreckage” is definitely going to be one of the plans we push to promote, that we really try to get out there. In general, it's a fun song to play and it's still exciting to run through even though it's one of our oldest songs. “Mockingbird” has a lot of personal meaning for me. I don't really want to get too much into what it's about other than to say it was written when I was thinking about a past relationship. There's a lot of

raw energy there that I tap into, that we all tap into, when we play it.

How has your sound changed or matured since you first started? [JP] In general, we've sort of let the sound of the band grown and mature naturally. I've played in bands where it's something along the lines of â&#x20AC;&#x153;we should have this kind of soundâ&#x20AC;? and that's never worked for me. When the process is like that I've never found it enjoyable. I think a lot of our evolution is just seeing what Tim and John are going to come up with next and feeding off of that. It's hard to say, specifically, that we've got harder or lighter or whatever. I feel that I never know what the boys are going to come up with next, other than if it's good we'll really stick with it and see it through. Again, with us there's no pressure to have a certain sound or to sound a certain way. That's really allowed us to craft our own unique niche. As a result, I don't think we sound quite like any other band in the city. It's a mix of rock, folk, prog and even some ska/reggage influences. So, yeah, it's definitely evolved but I'm not sure if it's been in any specific direction.

How about hobbies or interests what do you like to do for fun? [JP] I play ultimate frisbee. I've played it for years and I'm captaining the MUN team this year with another guy, Greer Hunt. He's a great player and a funny guy, played with the U23 mixed team at worlds this year. The MUN team will be competing at the Canadian Ultimate University Championships in mid October, so I'm really looking forward to that. Tim plays too but he's not quite as hardcore about the sport as I am. John's hobbies are energy drinks and cigarettes. No, to be serious, John's a very versatile musician. He plays in Make Mean Everything as well and he also has a project on the go with his girlfriend Claire. As for Tim, he's a pretty busy guy. I guess his hobby is his Masters which he's finishing at MUN, though it's more like a second job for him.

What's on the horizon for you - either professionally or personally - over the next couple of months and what can one expect?

[JP] Over the next couple months Tim and I are super busy with school, so there's not a ton happening with the band. I believe we've got a show booked for January 4, 2014 at The Levee with Radius, which features drummer Ryan Gosse who is also my cousin. Aside from that we'll be looking to book another show at The Fat Cat relatively early in the new year. I've previously covered some of our goals for the new year. We're going to put together an album, make some shirts and head out on tour. Aside from that, we'd like to secure gigs every few months here in St. John's. The Ship is a venue I love playing at but Sable Chief has not been there yet, so we'd be excited to set something up with them. Other than that, it'd be great to get off the province. My buddy John Pilat is a great musician based out of Sarnia so I'd be great to get us out there. I have a friend, Mike Laverty, a librarian and writer, who organizes a festival in Sioux Lookout in Northern Ontario every year. Other than that, we're looking to keep building our fanbase, especially online. And I've been kicking around the idea of making a video for one of our songs for a while. We'll see how much time we have to pursue these ideas, at we never seem to have as much time as we need!

Knife The Wolf An in-depth Q&A by Rick De Vries

The hardest hitting folk punk rock blues machine going - part electric guitar, part mandolin, part assault rifle, firing off catchy melodies to a solid rhythmic thump â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this band will cut you deep. - taken from their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/knifethewolf

Can you give me some information on the band's origins? [Mark Hoerdt] Everet, Ferg and Cody had started an acoustic group before I was asked to join. I’d known Everet for about twelve years through riding BMX. Over time he started getting more into guitar and we’d see each other out at the bars, or occasionally at one of the BMX jams held throughout the year, and he would ask me to jam. For years nothing was ever set in stone until three years ago. They wanted a drummer for a gig they had lined up. We jammed once and then I started creating drum tracks for a few songs they had previously written as we practised for the gig in two weeks time.

[Fergie Duncan] I was born in Windsor and moved to St. Catharines in grade 6. I moved back to Windsor for University and then came back to St. Kitt’s afterwards. [Everet Luciow] Born and raised in St.Catharines though due to my height and beard the born in the wilderness jokes have been frequent. [Cody Linthicum] Born and raised in the woods outside of kendallville, Indiana.

Where did you all go to school? [Mark Hoerdt] I went to Mohawk College where I graduated from the Urban Planning program.

[Fergie Duncan] Me and Everet have known each other since highschool and started playing a bunch of open mics together acoustically. When I moved back to St. Catharines after University some friends of ours told us about Cody, who had just moved to the city, so we met up at an open mic on his girlfriend Jen's (now wife) birthday and had a blast. After that we started hanging out and jamming a lot acoustically in Cody’s basement downtown and the place I was living at on Queenston. When we started taking it more seriously we decided to add a drummer so Ev called Mark. Ev and Mark had known each other for years from when they biked together and I had met him around a few times. All and all it was a pretty good fit right away because we all get along so well. Although in the early days we didn’t want to stop playing acoustically so we made Mark drum with brushes on an old set of bongos I had and use an empty accordion case for a bass drum. Eventually we plugged in and let him start using a real kit though.

[Fergie Duncan] Laura Secord for high school and then the University of Windsor for concurrent education.

[Cody Linthicum] I came to St. Catharines 4yrs ago only knowing one person. One night we went to Sheehans Pub for a pint and an open mic night. Fergie and Everet were instantly friends and we jammed almost every day after that. After boozing and jamming for a few months we started to write songs that didn't suck…the rest is history…and also stated by fergie and mark

[Everet Luciow] I just thought It sounded like those cover bands you would see on billboards playing freebird and taking themselves wayyyy to seriously. Not to say that when I get older I wont be playing freebird.....I just hope not to take myself that seriously. Knife the Wolf to me meant getting rid of those praying on the weak or taking care of somebody trying to abuse a person of situation.

Where are all of you from?

[Mark Hoerdt] The name came from someone yelling at a video game, so I’ve been told.

[Mark Hoerdt] I was born in St. Catharines though I lived and went to school in Niagara Falls. I moved back to St. Catharines over six years ago. It wasn’t much of a change since I spent a lot of time in the City anyway.

[Everet Luciow] I went to Laura Secord which is known for its arts and music programs and then went Niagara College. [Cody Linthicum] I went to East Noble High School in Kendallville, IN and then studied music in the hills and mountains of North Carolina, Fire pits and hillbilly porches were my classrooms, hippies and hillbillies were my teachers.

What led to you all being part of this group and where did the name "Knife The Wolf" come from? [Fergie Duncan] I wanted to be Slow Pour. . . but they told me it sounded like an old man band. I think the name has something to do with inner beasts.

[Cody Linthicum] Knife the Wolf came to me in a dream years ago. It is destiny

Could you relate some of the best moments or highlights you have had over the length of your career and how they've affected the path that you're on?

process but well worth it. Thanks Arih Struger-Kalkman for being amazing and patient with us.

[Mark Hoerdt] Playing and continually learning in the band has been a highlight since day one. It’s been a challenge to overcome my nerves. At the first gig I played with the band I almost made myself sick because I felt so anxious – I couldn’t get myself to go on stage. I still get a little nervous but it’s easier to get up to play.

[Everet Luciow] The title track ‘hard on me’ is always a good one, the heavier section in the middle always seems to get heads bobbin and some hips shakin. Horse with no Reigns has a great catchy sing along chorus which is fun to croon to. Depending on the gig and how intense the crowd gets Year Long Disaster gets people stomping the yard and raising their fists.

[Fergie Duncan] Playing El Mocambo was amazing. Also, I was really into the Mudmen in highschool, so getting to play with them was phenomenal, as well as The Sheepdogs, Electric Six, Child Bite, The Mahones and so many great local bands that we get to meet and hang out with. The re-bops, Lambs become Lions and The Confessions come to mind but again there's so many to mention. [Everet Luciow] As far as career highlights go playing a fairly big gig at the El Mocambo for our friend Connor Johnstone was a great trip and our first gig set up by Indoorshoes ended up with the Sheepdogs opening up for us a few months before their Rolling Stone run which was nothing short of terrifying but we realized if we can make it through that we can make it through anything. [Cody Linthicum] Opening for Electric Six…this was the best thing ever… so much dancing!

What are some of the highlights from the last year or so? Could you explain? [Everet Luciow] Well recording the album was a great time, it really helped make us tighter and more focused as a group and helped us communicate out ideas better. We've played a lot of local and regional gigs at so many great venues with some great bands. Downtown St.Catharines is really starting to come back into its own with all the talented bands around. Our gigs at The Merchant Ale House and The Mansion House are always stand outs too. [Cody Linthicum] Definitely the experience of the getting the album recorded and finished. It has been a long

What are some of your favourite songs from any of your albums to perform live and why?

[Fergie Duncan] I can’t stand still during Year Long Disaster. It doesn’t matter if it’s a crowd of fifty people or practising in the basement, it makes me move! [Mark Hoerdt] Year Long for sure – it’s got that punch [Cody Linthicum] You Can Call Me Al, oh our albums. Sparrows and Children for sure, it's not on the new album but its on our demo and it's epic.

Can you tell me about the differences, however subtle, between your demos and your work on "Hard On Me"? [Everet Luciow] The fact that we were at the start of our life as a band as we weren’t entirely settled on what our sound was going to be, in some of our older demos we had some songs that were a little out there. But once Cody started playing a bit more mandolin , I started to get a bit more comfortable singing and playing guitar we then added drums and with several months of jamming in our friend Joe’s basement went towards the country, blues, punk sound that you hear on the album. [Fergie Duncan] We’ve definitely developed our roles a lot since those early demos. We write differently now, often with the others in mind. It’s no mistake we left some of those tunes behind and have written a lot of new ones. Also, the recording and mixing quality on Hard On Me is well beyond any of the things we were playing with back then and our friend Arih and the guys from MyStage have a lot to do with that. [Cody Linthicum] Mind altering mandolin solos

What was the recording for this album like, who did you work with and why? [Everet Luciow] The difference would be the actual order in how we recorded the songs. Before Mark joined the group we started off with bass tracks first and then overdubbed guitars, harmonica mandolin vocals etc. Once drums came into the picture we added them last which ended up with Mark being fairly limited to what he could play and had to be careful not to step on any toes. Once we had a chance to track the drums first it really gave Mark a chance to stretch out and really get comfortable. Once we got through the stress of getting a good drum sound and getting our foundation set up the rest of the process (minus a few snags of course) was an absolute treat. [Mark Hoerdt] It was quite a learning experience for me recording for an album was something I had never done before. This is also the first band I’ve been a part of other than the concert band in high school where I played alto sax. Playing to a click track, for one, was something I had to quickly get used to. I learned that a lot of patience is needed both for the musician and the recording engineer (haha). [Fergie Duncan] This album could not have happened without our friends at MyStage that literally gave us the space to do it and Arih Struger-Kalkman who recorded, mixed and produced the entire thing! He put hours into getting us to sound as good as we do on this album, we owe him a lot!

What were you hoping to accomplish with this recording and do you feel you've reached your goal? Could you explain? [Everet Luciow] We were working to have something tangible that we could be proud of. Hopefully it captures our love for the music, life and each other. We think it does.

How has your sound as a band changed or matured since your formation?

[Everet Luciow] More electricity and a lot more full. When the band started it came from a mutual lack of jobs and a love of playing acoustic guitars. Once I set up our first show with Timur the first question he asked was do you have a drummer? We only had about two weeks to track one down and jam. This is when Mark came into the fold and has been with us since. Even though we loved the acoustics very much eventually the bass became electric as did the guitars and mandolin so we had to let Mark play a kit. With everyone getting more confident as a performing unit it became easier for everyone to start to contribute to each song and build it from the skeleton to the flesh. Originally the songs would be brought by each member with the arrangements almost complete with room just for each person to write their own part. As things progressed more songs came from riffs and jamming so that each person played a part in the structure and phrasing as well as lyrics in each songs which has helped us expand our personal styles while writing more complex structures.

Are there different styles or sounds you try to incorporate from record to record and do you do this for yourselves or do you keep fan opinions in mind? [Fergie Duncan] Although we have some demo recordings this is our first true album. We definitely try to incorporate many different styles, rock, blues, punk, country and bluegrass which has led to some wildly different songs. One of the challenges of this album was to find an order that still seemed to allow the tracks to flow and feel like an album, which I feel we've done. Once we get some fan feedback from this album we’ll see how much of it gets incorporated to the next project, but this one is mostly based on our opinion, which includes Arih’s opinion for sure as well as our pals Jordan Rutledge and Chris Mazzei who both appear on the album. [Everet Luciow] This record has eleven songs and there’s essentially three songs from the five different genres mentioned earlier. There’s a couple straight forward open g to the max gutbucket blues tunes. Then we have few punk rock tunes that have super heavy drums and aggressive lyrics, then throw in a bit of country add some

bluegrass and some straightforward rock and well. . . you’ve got a knife the wolf album.

How about hobbies - what do you guys like to do for fun? What kinds of music inspire each of you? [Fergie Duncan] We have had some epic bocce ball matches. Sometimes we play video games together or just hang out and watch T.V. but mostly we love to jam. We also really enjoy each other’s company. We’re all friends, so sometimes when we have work to do we end up goofing around for half the time. Record sharing is pretty common among us as well. [Mark Hoerdt] I spend a lot of my spare time riding BMX - it’s something I’ve done for about fifteen years. A group of friends and I also put out videos under the name BMXFU and our sixth DVD, FU666, should be out by the end of the year. Knife The Wolf played at one of the premieres a couple of years ago. That was a party. [Everet Luciow] I'd say that I spend a good portion of my time with my guitar in its different forms. One day I'm playing some bluegrass on my old acoustic and other days its a bit of lap steel . Besides music though I enjoy making the odd home brew with a few friends of mine who are far better at it then I am. I also have a side project that plays around town a lot under the title World's Tallest Guitar Player. Being 6 11” it seemed like an easy choice for a name and every other weekend I enjoy a nice afternoon of playing with the guys and trying local beers at Silversmith Brewery that Cody manages. I also spend a lot of time with my very supportive girlfriend Lacey and my big German Sheppard 'Bear'.

Are any of you sports fans? What about movies? [Fergie Duncan] Are darts a sport? I also have a pretty serious Netflix addiction, I marathon shows like it’s my job. [Everet Luciow] I used to play a lot of basketball as a kid but not so much anymore but I do follow march madness and of course like any other Canadian I like my hockey......even though I can't skate. As far as movies I'd say Hardcore Logo, Four Rooms, Tarentino movies of any sort, The Big Labowski and basketball.

Do you have any funny stories from the road? [Fergie Duncan] My mom came to watch us play at El Mocambo. She doesn’t drink often but that night had a hotel room so was letting loose. When we were leaving I was carrying my stuff down the huge set of stairs on the way out and when I reached the door I heard a noise behind me. My mom was falling down the stairs hard. I’m talking feet over her head! I thought she had broken her neck! I panicked, dropped my stuff, and literally threw five people (including two giant bouncers) out of my way while running over to her. She was laughing and a little embarrassed. I was so relieved! After that I insisted she ride back to the hotel in a cab. [Cody Linthicum] The same night of the El Mocambo show, Fergie also had a few drinks. After the show, Jenn(my wife), fergie, and I all went to this strange hippie blues bar. It was some guys birthday and possibly a private party. We proceeded to hang out there and have a few drinks and watch a pretty cool band. On the way back to the hotel, very late i might add, Fergie ducked into and asian restaurant with peking ducks in the window. He repeatedly shouted to give him duck at an old man who probably didn't speak english. Somehow fergie got duck.

What's on the horizon for you - both as a band and as individuals - over the next couple of months? [Everet Luciow] Get this album in people’s hands! We have about 5 or 6 gigs lined up over the next few months and I suppose we're just trying as both a group and Individuals to be a little bit better than we were the day before.

Tim van Urk Hobbyist Photography Leagues Ahead Of The Rest Tim van Urk, 32, from a city called Amersfoort in the Netherlands – a place that has its roots in medieval times – says place he lives definitely has an influence on his work.

“Photography is my favorite medium because I have absolutely zero talent at drawing or painting in any way,” - T. van Urk “The ability of others to draw or paint whatever they want, only limited by their own imagination, fills me with great jealousy,” he admits. “As a photographer you're always limited by what reality gives you to work with.” Thankfully, he says, he finds a lot of creative freedom in the post processing part of photography.

“My favorite forest to visit, which is a 30 minute drive, is called Sprielderbos (near Ermelo/Putten) and It's well known for it "dancing" trees because all them in this old forest are twisted, lending to its recognizable atmosphere,” he says. “Long ago farmers would take down the straight trees to build sheds and houses but they would leave the twisted trees alone resulting in this wonderful twisted forest.”

“What I think is really rewarding about photography is that it stimulates you to explore more of the world; you never know what you'll find around the next corner,” he says. “It's like a hunt for treasure. Many times you'll fail to find anything interesting but with enough persistence and a bit of luck you're bound to find something really special once in a while.”

He didn’t attend art school, nor does he work in a photography-related field, yet van Urk puts a lot of time and effort into his hobby regardless. He admits however, that this is something he never really thought about making a career from. “Spellbound” © 2013 T. van Urk

He says that it is his willingness to explore that has kept him on a path of development – not only with his photographic skills in general, but also in the post process. “Exploration, in any manifestation, forces you to think outside of the box and that is the best way to keep the development of your creativity flowing without becoming repetitious and bored,” he says. “The artist who has had the biggest influence on my work (especially when I started with photography) is an artist named Nelleke Pieters [Caprice Magazine/Issue#4August 2012] who I discovered on deviantart,” van Urk opines. “When I discovered her pictures about two years ago, I was still struggling with making videos. When I saw her pictures I was blown away by two things. Firstly I was pleasantly surprised to learn her pictures were taken near to where I live (which later helped me to discover the enchanting Sprielderbos forest). Secondly I realized the amazing artistic potential of post processing on pictures taken at such beautiful locations. Until then I never fully realized how powerful a photograph could be, I was too focused on video as my medium of choice. After then I started to explore more of nature and my city surroundings with a renewed focus on photography only.”

This revolution, van Urk explains excited him to experiment with video himself, so he bought a DSLR. “Although I loved the cinematic possibilities of making movies with a DSLR, I also started to take more and more pictures with it,” he says. “After a year or so I came to the conclusion that making movies wasn't something I was enjoying much. By that time I was really hooked on photography and discovered the creative flexibility in post processing when you shoot your pictures in RAW. I realized I could tell a story and convey an emotion with a photograph. I didn't need video to tell my story.” One of the most important things he’s had to learn, van Urk says, is to know when to stop post processing an image. “A year ago I was editing an image and after half an hour I was really happy how it turned out so I saved the edit,” he explains. “The day after that, the perfectionist in me wasn't quite satisfied so I started to edit the same image again and again and again. After many hours I had multiple edits but I still wasn't pleased with it. I was frustrated about it and decided to give up on that image altogether for the moment. A month later I opened that image again and reviewed the very first edit I made. It was perfectly fine the way it was.”

“I have learned perfectionism can be useful because it pushes you to aim high but after a certain point perfectionism works against you.” - T. van Urk

“I'm a big fan of movies and I was always interested in the creative process behind making movies - The Canon EOS 5D Mark II made it possible for consumers to capture cinema-like videos with it's big sensor and interchangeable lenses, just like the camera's they use in big Hollywood movies,” he says.

“Nothing can be truly perfect so you have to be conscious of that fact and feel instinctively when it's time to accept the way your work has turned out and move on to the next project,” he says. “Holding on to perfectionism stagnates growth. Instead you have to use perfectionism as a swinging rope; you have to know when to let go to get further.” Van Urk says he likes pictures that have a dreamy, atmospheric quality to them, pictures that can stimulate his imagination and take him on a journey within the mind. “It's the same qualities I look for in music and movies,” he admits. “I guess you could say I'm looking for a form of escapism but I don't like to use that word. I don't believe I'm escaping reality, I rather say I'm delving

deeply into it, exploring its limits. I especially take an interest in an artist when they've developed a signature style of shooting and editing but without becoming too predictable (although the last part is tricky for any artist). Overall I'm focused more on artists that also specialize in photography because I use their pictures to inspire me. But when I see a drawing, painting or digital work I really like it's for the same reasons as I judge photographic works.â&#x20AC;?

Always follow your own inner compass and do what feels right. Your best work is the one YOU are most happy with.

ALAN DAVIES Illustrator, graphic artist, tattooist and more.

“Art was something I was interested in from an early age; entering art poster contests; and winning!” he says. Davies took advanced level art all throughout highschool and secondary education. He has a certificate in Commercial Illustration, a 2 year diploma in web-design, and a soon to be 2 year diploma in video game design. “The most important factor in my development as an artist has been computers,” he opines. “From an early age, Animation always appealed to me.”

I knew this guy way back in the day when we were just a pair of cheese-eating highschool kids who spent all of our days playing hack and ditching school. He was hilarious, outspoken and ballsy confident. No doubt, nothing has changed except perhaps we now live thousands of miles apart and we’ve both moved on to different paths in life. When I decided to finally go ahead with this magazine, I really wanted to showcase his talent. He’s always been a better artist than me, even when we were in Grade Nine, so when I found out about his latest 3D work in game development, I thought hell yes and sent him an email. Davies, 31, originally from the metropolitan Toronto area and now lately based out of St. Catharines, Ont., is currently enrolled in the Video Game Design course at Trillium College.

“My favourite medium is digital,” he says. “To be more specific, softwares called Zbrush, 3dsMax, and Photoshop. I don’t mind the good 'ol fashion pencil every now and again.” During his Commercial Art program at Niagara college, Davies says, he had the chance to experiment with every medium, including pastels, air-brushing, and you name it. “I have chosen the digital path to create art because over the years, my hands have become more and more shaky, due to breaking my back when I was only 2 years old,” he adds. “I had become interested in tattooing, and tried my luck with it for a few years, and this is when I learned it was hard for me to keep steady for hours and hours.”

I find when you surround your self with other people that are better than you, they bring you upto their level. Theres lots of different ways to learn, and although i do a great number of online tutorials in game design, 3d software and the such; that can never replace learning from other people as well. Artists that inspire me? I find alot of inspiration from the many different artists at digital tutors. havnt heard of them? Just "google" Digital tutors. Many different comic book artists are also a point of inspiration for as well as websites such as deviantart or pinterest. If i were to offer some advice to a fellow artist looking to get into what i like to do; my best advice would be, do as many tutorials as you can, as often as you can!

Surviving a terrible caraccident that left her bedridden for days on end, Melissa Fague discovered a love of photography she didn’t know she had. Embracing every genre, rather than focusing on just one in particular, Fague, 36, from Wilmington, Delaware, says she always liked and appreciated the art of photography but never had time to learn about it until the accident. That accident, she says, tore every muscle from the base of her skull to her lower back, damaging several disks as well as her nerve stem and left her with less than 28 per cent feeling and mobility. During the first few days, Fague admits, she was going stir crazy confined to a bed so her family bought her a few things to read, installed a television and leant her a laptop for a short while. One of the books that were brought to her, Fague recalls, was about improving photographs. “I found that I not only understood what I was reading, but I really enjoyed it too, so much so that I started hitting the library after my doctor appointments, atleast three to five times a week, just for a new book on the subject,” she says. Learning about photography helped distract her mind from the pain she was enduring and it also gave her something to look forward to, once her strength was back, Fague explains. “After a few weeks of reading every book I could get from the library on photography I enrolled in online classes for digital photography through the Art Institute of Pittsburgh to get my degree,” she says. “The enrollment board was extremely helpful in helping me design the class schedules around my physical abilities. Three years later I am healed for the most part, working on my own photography business and I will be graduating from school on October 16, 2013.” Having only been able to shoot for about a 1 ½ years consistently, Fague says, right now she is exploring every field of photography. “There is something about each genre that appeals to me at this point.” She admits. “However, I find that I am drawn to Abstract and Nature - Abstract because it allows me complete creative freedom to design the image however I choose; personally, I like the challenge of trying to creating abstract scenes on location or rather than in Photoshop. I also like nature and landscape photography because it appeals to the outdoorsy side of me.” The most important thing, she says, is to be patient with yourself and to learn to take constructive criticism, atleast when you’re just starting out. “Photography is subjective,” she says. “People will view your art differently than you; some will love it, while others might just appreciate it. However, there are elements in art that can capture a person’s attention. Criticism, if constructive, will only help you to define your vision much more effectively.”

GORDIE TENTREES An interview by RICK DE VRIES

Gordie Tentrees is one of those guys that you’d think was a shy, bashful kind-of-guy, especially when you’re talking to him, but when you put on one of his records and you catch him at a show, all of those preconceptions you have, just get blown out of the water. Humorous, confident and honest, he brings a real sense of smalltown good times to the table. I picked up a copy of the local entertainment guide in St. Johns, a paper called The Scope, to familiarize myself with the scene in Newfoundland and afterwards, went home to do some research. The first song I listened to was “Blue Motel” and was hooked. As I get older, I get more appreciative of the quieter music, and I’ve always found myself drawn to performers with distinctive voices and styles; Gordie Tentrees has all of this and more.

“My mother and my grandmother, they were both writers – my grandmother was a published Canadian author in the 70s and my mother was a writer who just encouraged us kids, you know, like when we were bored, she’d say grab a pencil and a piece of paper and just write a story,” Tentrees says. “Most people don’t do that to their kids anymore, but my mother would say, if you don’t have anything to do, write a story and use your imagination. If you don’t have anything to do, write about what you could be doing. As far as music goes, well, writing has always been a big part of my life and I think the way my family raised me was a huge influence on the way I do things.”

“I have a lot of friends here that are way more talented, I think, then I'll ever be and they believe in just standing up there for their friends instead of hogging the spotlight and that's something I can totally respect,” he says. Nowadays, Tentrees says, he tours with a trio – no drums, an upright bass and a guitar player – while he plays the dobro, a guitar and a harmonica. “We sound like a full band, but there’s a freedom in performing by yourself where you can go off and do something personally. It can be challenging because you have to do more, instead of with a band where you can do less. Its sort of like a train conductor in a way. They both have their benefits.” He started playing guitar at the age of 25, a cheap Yamaha that no longer has its nuts – they were stripped and never got fixed. He says when he’d switch from playing that instrument to other people’s guitars, there was a noticible difference towards the end. “It was clear by that time to get a new one so I had some friends pitch in and buy me a new one for a birthday present,” Tentrees explains. “They all said it sounded like I needed one and now it’s kind of like an obsession for me, finding guitars and selling them too.”

When he moved to the Yukon, Tentrees says, everyone who lives there plays music in one shape or another, whether they're on stage or off - some of the best songwriters of the north don't even perform live, and that was all around him. “When I started writing songs, right away, 15 years ago, I had been sort of writing stories and poems and stuff to keep me occupied and I had no real idea that you could write songs that way until I moved to Whitehorse,” he admits.

“I was playing with two of my best friends and we played together for eight years,” he says. “It was never about fame or fortune or anything like that, it never is. Neither one of them plays with me anymore, but those eight years were some of the funnest and best.” “I never would have travelled - I think i maybe would have gone camping, but I'm not much of a traveller at all really,” Tentrees opines. “Once I started touring though, i just fell in love with it. I never thought that would have happened and now I'm totally into it. We just found out that they [label management] added Spain to our next European tour along with the Canary Islands and I thought, Jeez, I'd never go travelling there on my own.” “I think that i've definitely grown as a songwriter and moreso as a performer and player,” he says. “You know, I started out being comfortable in front of people - it was an easy thing for me to get in front of people, talking to them and putting myself onstage and I felt comfortable writing songs - but I couldn't really play my instrument that well.”

Most people start out learning how to play music, Tentrees explains, but he didn't. “I've kind of gone backwards and had to learn, like, I wanted to learn finger-style on guitar and how to play the harmonica really well, like all those people you see on television, so I spent a lot of time, over the last five years, wood-shaving those instruments slap-picking or finger-style on guitar and then harmonica on a rack and slide-guitar and figuring out how to get a grip on those instruments and get my chops down,” he says. From his first record, "28 Loads Of Freight" with its rocking sound to his later works, which are quite a bit different in terms of feel and context, Tentrees says, his tastes are eclectic. His music deals with everything from local tragedy to relationship issues and obscure things like hotel rooms. "Mercy and Sin", his third record, was nominated for a Western Canadian Music Award for Album of the Year and is about the woes of travelling. One of the songs, "Blue Motel" is about a seedy little place that was dark and cold and out of the way.

Another of the songs, "Devil Talks" is about not wanting to deal with things anymore, just getting sick of putting up with anyone and everything and all the things you wanted to do but can't. That album did a lot of things for Tentrees, who had a bunch of co-writes on it, something which had never happened before. “When I was growing up in Ontario, I'd hear my heroes playing music and now I'm friends with most of them and I get invited to open up for them on tours and we play festivals together,” he says. “Stuff like that, those are things I really enjoy about this business.” “I like some of my songs because of the lyrics and I like some of them because of the energy,” he adds, explaining that the song ‘Alfred’ from “Mercy or Sin” is his favourite song because it reminds him of where he is from. “It’s about an old couple who are in love and why they're in love and about their life and the paths that they're on.” Another one he likes to play is called ‘No Integrity Man’ and is a high-energy tune that Tentrees plays with an electric guitar and a dobro. It has a bunch of different parts to it and goes all over the place. “It is just really fun to play,” he admits. “I wrote a song called ‘Stella’, off one of my first albums, and people are always screaming for it,” he says. “I could never figure out why but someone said to me once, 'you know, i really like that song about your ex-wife' and I turned around and said that song is about my dog actually. It's been really funny for me to hear what other people will perceive a song to be about or what they think it’s about when in reality, most times, it's completely the opposite. There's a magic in that. Everyone has their own interpretation.”

So what’s next for Tentrees? It turns out there’s a new album in the works, though it has neither direction nor a title at this point. Tentrees says recording has just started but some of the tunes he’s already written are fast becoming his new favourites and feels that this upcoming effort will be his strongest yet. “I know everyone always says that,” he says. “I believe it though, I really do. These songs are some of my best work yet!”

SPENCER BURTON The Mastermind Behind Grey Kingdom

“I've always believed that names are given to things to best describe them. A child is born, it looks into its mothers eyes and a name leaves her lips. I've always written songs, my whole life! However, not until I wrote my first real song did I decide upon the name of ‘Grey Kingdom,” Burton explains. “It just made sense,” he says. “I don't know if the name "Grey Kingdom" will always bare the weight of the songs I write. It does now though.” As for influences, Spencer shrugs and waves dismissively in the direction of life. “How can it not influence ones music?” he opines. “Love, failure, death, happiness. Everything influences music and music is everything.”

Burton says he never really decided consciously to branch out on his own and start making my own music, admitting it happened more by accident than anything else but points out that he hasn’t been playing anything else now but his own music for years.

“I just released what the people are calling my ‘sophomore’ album. It's my second full length and definitely my favorite of the Grey Kingdom releases,” he says.

Of the release, Burton says it is a collection of songs relating to the past year of his life. “I just recently released it on vinyl and am taking it across the country from early October onward,” he says. “It is called ‘Light I'll Call Your Name Out Darkness’ “My favorite song to perform changes daily,” he admits. “Each song has different meaning and I relate to each song differently from day to day, just like I change from day to day - as does my sound. If I even have a sound. I write what comes naturally and that can mean anything. Maybe that's a bit confusing. However, it’s just how it is. Everything changes and matures. My songs are getting more grey every minute, like my hair.” Burton says life on the road, away from family and friends can be both tough and scary. Luckily, he explains, he is able to bring a band with him to shows consisting of some of his closest friends. “I’m not completely alone, not right now anyways,” he admits. “There have been times when I have travelled all by my lonesome. It’s scary at times. It gives a chance to find out things I never thought I would. Things about myself. I have to become my own best friend for a little bit, but I don’t mind. I’m really easy to get along with and I share the same clothes.”

SUBMITTED GALLERY // SHANNON HREHA – PHOTOGRAPHY TURNED INTO ART “These photos i did are photographs that i turned into oil paintings. I wanted to do something different and have my own little touch to it, instead of the typical photos. The collection i have is of different types of portraits- Ect. Landscaping, Portraits of people, Animals. My 5 children inspired me to do paintings as my 8 year old loves painting and drawing. She has the eye of imaganation. I took her ideas and told her i could do a painting of her, and she was so excited. Then i started looking into progams and found the Corel Painter X3, and looked thru some tutorials to get an idea of how to use the program, along with my photoshop cs4. I just started this at the end of September 2013. I really enjoy thinking outside the box, and with my paintings i have the choice on where to put my brush strokes, and how i want the picture to turn out vrs just a normal photograph. All of my photos are taken in Sykesville/Dubois Pennsylvania, in a little town just near Punxsutawney, Pa. In my paintings i normally use a artist canvas.I will take a photograph, clone it, then take a pen to draw around the picture getting all the details of the picture, then turn it into a tracing paper, use an artist impressionist brush and sargent brush, while watching my restauration, and bleed along with opacity and jitter. I continue to use a smeary round oil brush or smeary flat oil brush. When i'm done cleaning up the photos and designing how i like it, i then continue to finish and use a square chalk just to add some defintion to the photo, then i take it to photoshop to add my watermark and use brighten/contrast to adjust the colors. Sometimes i'll add another texture to it, but normally i like to leave it alone.” - Shannon Hreha, October 2013.

All works featured here are ÂŠ 2013 S. Hreha.