ION MAGAZINE
#65 FREE
ION Magazine Presents About Limited Edit[ion] An extension of ION magazine that focusses on collaborative projects. We work with our creative community of photographers, illustrators and artists to create cool products that reflect the culture of the magazine. Our t-shirts are produced in limited time runs, and available for a limited time only. We have just completed our first series, which has featured artists: [1] Raif Adelberg, [2] Michael DeForge, [3] Camilla d’Errico, [4] Robert Mearns, [5] the dark and [6] Brian Donnelly.
Series one is now complete. All remaining t-shirts only available till Aug 1st, 2010
Limited Edit[ion] is printed exclusively on Finn T-shirts by mycommunitee.com
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[5]
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www.ionmagazine.bigcartel.com/category/limited-edit-ion-t-shirts
originalpenguin.com
CONTENTS Volume 8 Number 4 Issue 65 10 12 16 56 58 59 60
Editor’s Letter Finally an excuse to get girl drink drunk. ION the Street Out and aboot Of The Month Fake news about Diplo and some other stuff. Poster Art: Jeffry Lee The frontman for Hard Drugs can do more than play amazing alt-country jams about the Downtown Eastside ION the Web ( . )( . ) Horoscopes Yes, there are people writing Harry Potter fan fiction about male pregnancy. Comics
CULTURE 18 22
Chad VanGaalen Kind of like Van Haalen except he’s from Calgary, he’s cooler and he hasn’t sold 80 million albums. Jonathan Bergeron Paints portraits of skeletons and Boston Terriers better than anyone you know. .
FASHION 26 28 30
Native Holey shoes! North Star Don’t I know you from somewhere? Band/Shirts This issue’s fashion editorial is shot by Norman Wong and styled by Nadia Pizzimenti.
MUSIC 42 44 46 50 54
The New Pornographers The rivalry between these guys and Broken Social Scene is heatin up! Teenanger Fuck you Mom and Dad. I hate you! Eugene Hütz Gogol gadget Gypsy! Black Tambourine Our Music Editor gets his fanboy on. Album Reviews
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WHERE TO FIND US WEB www.ionmagazine.ca FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ionmagazine TWITTER @ionmagazine TUMBLR www.ionmagazine.tumblr.com ISSUU www.issuu.com/ionmagazine I
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ION MAGAZINE
Publisher/Fashion Director Vanessa Leigh vanessa@ionmagazine.ca Editor in Chief Creative Director Art Director Music Editor Fashion Editor Office Manager
Michael Mann editor@ionmagazine.ca Danny Fazio danny@ionmagazine.ca Tyler Quarles tyler@ionmagazine.ca Trevor Risk trevor@ionmagazine.ca Toyo Tsuchiya toyo@ionmagazine.ca Natasha Neale natasha@ionmagazine.ca
Copy Editors Editorial Interns Design Intern
Steven Evans, Marisa Chandler, Molly McQueen Zia Hirji, Sinead Keane Thanaruth Phomveha
Writers
Nojan Aminosharei, Jenkin Au, Jenny Charlesworth, Devon Cody, Louise Burns, Zia Hirji, Dr. Ian Super, Tyler Fedchuk, Nick Hanekom, Sinead Keane, Alysa Lechner, Maxwell Maxwell, Jeremy McAnulty, Jules Moore, Adam Sabla , Alana Turner, V Vecker, Alicia Wrobel
Photographers and Artists Toby Marie Bannister, Taylor Borris, Adele DeVuyst, Shannon Elliott, Emily Fung, Adam Hendrik, Jeremy R. Jansen, Geoffrey Knott, Eduardo Mella, Nadia Pizzimenti, Norman Wong
ABOUT OUR COVER Eugene HÜTZ SHOT EXCLUSIVELY FOR ION MAGAZINE This month’s cover features Eugene Hütz—actor, DJ, and front man for the gypsy-punk band Gogol Bordello. Originally hailing from a small town near Kiev, Eugene fled Ukraine after learning of the Chernobyl disaster just up river from his home. After six years spent in refugee camps throughout Eastern Europe, he arrived in the U.S. as a political refugee. He has since released six albums with Gogol Bordello and one with his experimental side project J.U.F., been the subject of two documentaries, acted in three films, and had one film based on him. He has performed on stages ranging from the Tate Modern in London, to Lollapalooza and has dabbled briefly as a model in New York’s fashion world. He’s befriended and collaborated with the likes of Madonna, Elijah Wood, and Russian Gypsy guitar sensation Sasha Kolpakov. He also has a very nice moustache. Blessed with equal parts talent, charisma, luck, and affable insanity, Eugene continues along his wandering road to success. Gogol Bordello just made their major label debut with the Rick Rubin-helmed Trans-Continental Hustle. [www.gogolbordello.com] Read our interview with Eugene on page 46.
ION is printed 10 times a year by the ION Publishing Group. No parts of ION Magazine may be reproduced in any form by any means without prior written consent from the publisher. ION welcomes submissions but accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited materials. All content © Copyright ION Magazine 2010 Hey PR people, publicists, brand managers and label friends, send us stuff. High-resolution jpegs are nifty and all, but they’re no substitute for the real thing. Clothing, liquor, PS3s, CDs, vinyl, Blu-rays, video games, and an Apple Tablet (whatever the hell it does) can be sent to the address below. #303, 505 Hamilton Street. Vancouver, BC, Canada. V6B 2R1 Office 604.696.9466 Fax: 604.696.9411 feedback@ionmagazine.ca www.ionmagazine.ca | @ionmagazine www.facebook.com/ionmagazine | www.issuu.com/ionmagazine Advertising enquiries can be directed to sales@ionmagazine.ca
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Cover Photographer: Norman Wong, Stylist: Toyo Tsuchiya, Grooming: Eduardo Mella, TRESemme Hair Care, judyinc.com, Vintage military shirt from House Of Vintage
CONTRIBUTORS WRITER [Jenny Charlesworth]
Writer [devon Cody]
Illustrator [shannon Elliott]
Editorial Intern [Zia Hirji]
Jenny Charlesworth interviewed Teenanger for us. She grew up on a sailboat. At least that’s what she believed until her father kindly reminded her that she had spent all of two weeks on a rickety catamaran as a child, and has been landlocked ever since. There would be other hazy childhood memories that spiralled into epic tales of gratuitous embellishment; it seems to be the nature of things for the Vancouver native. And so, Jenny stepped into the world of writing with perfect ease, going on to lend her unruly imagination, and purposeful prose to publications like The Wire, Paste, The Georgia Straight, Spinner, Concrete Skateboarding and Color, among others. She is currently at work on her latest batch of re-spun memories for a collection of short stories entitled The Shaker Pine. [www.jennycharlesworth.com]
Devon Cody hates writing bios of himself in third person. And, after scanning his hard drive, realizes he doesn’t like his photo taken unless he’s had a few glasses of Jameson and a costume on hand. Devon Cody is also balding and blames at least 90% of this month’s hair loss on the trials and tribulations involved with birthing this month’s cover story. These include: conducting the interview at an unholy hour of 6:30am – twice; downloading skype recording software that failed to record the interview; acquiring a computer destroying virus from said faulty software; pleading with Eugene’s publicist to set up a second, embarrassingly redundant, interview; having Eugene’s cell phone die in the middle of said embarrassingly redundant interview; and finally, struggling to assemble a readable Q&A from the resulting debris. Devon Cody hopes you enjoy the article. If you pass him on the street, let him know his hair loss was not in vain.
Shannon Elliot did the illustration for The New Pornographers article. Shannon is a freelance illustrator living in Vancouver, BC but grew up in the South Pacific. Drawing and colouring from an early age, Shannon is inspired by the natural world as well as various travels around the globe. Over the years her subject matter has evolved but not her inspiration. If she could have been a part of any historical era, it would be the Surrealist movement of the 1920s in Europe, but without all the measles. Her work combines digital and traditional media because she is too impatient to mix her own colours.
Zia Hirji wrote some stuff in the magazine you are holding right now (unless you are reading this on the internet). When he isn’t doing ION stuff you can catch him playing music to people, attempting to get freelance writing jobs (holler at me), taking pictures, drinking negronis, watching Frasier, looking for records, canoodling with the ladies, comparing Valjoux vs Lemania watch movement, using his magic bullet, coming up with hair brained schemes, listening to Ron Hardy edits, the internet, watching women’s curling, and wearing Band of Outsiders shirts. He also Twitters, follow him!
[www.shannonelliott.ca]
[@zeeaa]
[www.devoncody.com]
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EDITOR’S LETTER
Michael Mann “Lime Green” by Toby Marie Bannister
It’s a beautiful summer day and everything is going great. It’s warm and sunny out and I spend the whole day drinking. At night I go see a band with some friends. After the show, we have a nightcap, then call it an evening. We’re just about to say our goodbyes when my friend says, “Sorry bro, you’ve just been ICED,” and presents me with a one-litre bottle of lukewarm Smirnoff Ice. Naturally, I do what any sane person would do when this happens: drop to one knee and down the whole thing. It takes me about two-three minutes. Keep in mind that’s like chugging three regular bottles of Smirnoff. I’m cool for ten minutes, then my saliva starts to taste funny. Uh oh. I run to the bathroom, projectile vomit all over the place and feel mild remorse for whoever needs to use the facilities after me. Welcome to Bros Icing Bros, my fun summer
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game. The rules are simple. If a bro presents you with a Smirnoff Ice, you must drop to one knee and chug it. However, if you have an Ice within arm’s reach you can present one back to your bro. This is known as an Ice Block. If this happens, the person who initiated the conflict must drop to one knee and chug both Ices. If a bro refuses to accept an Ice, they are no longer allowed to Ice people and are essentially excommunicated. That’s not as harsh as it sounds... this game will probably be played out by the time this magazine gets printed. Though it is hilarious to imagine Bros Icing Bros carrying on for 30 years and never getting boring. I wish I could claim that I invented this, but I didn’t. It wasn’t even invented by people from Smirnoff. Frat boys from the South came up with
it. I laughed at these people in university, but they really do know how to have a good time and I’m starting to wish I rushed when I had the chance (I might invest in some Hawaiian shirts and ska CDs and see if I missed anything there). This game escalated pretty quickly in my circle of friends. While Icing is undeniably awesome, there are a few drawbacks. 1) I need to carry a Smirnoff Ice with me at all times. 2) Icing is all me and my friends want to talk about. 3) I no longer trust these friends. 4) I’m drinking way too much as every time I go to the liquor store to buy more Smirnoff, I’m embarrassed and feel to the need to buy a six-pack as well so the clerk thinks the coolers are for a girlfriend. Speaking of which. “But Michael,” you ask, “I am a female. Am I allowed to partake in this
totally amazing game with you?” The answer to this common question is no, of course not, don’t be ridiculous. Women get to have babies and men get to have Bros Icing Bros and that’s the way it is. While some people are running around worrying about oil spills, volcanoes, sinkholes, the Greek economy and terrorist attacks, musicians are getting Iced on stage, people are getting Iced at work and there are even photos online of some guy getting Iced at his wedding. I will make an audacious claim that membership in these two groups of people is mutually exclusive. If you fall in the former, I have no words of wisdom for you. If you fall in the latter I will offer you this: Arm yourself! It’s going to be one long, drunk and disgusting-tasting summer.
ION THE STREET COMBAT ROCK
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[1] H by Hudson - Lang Black [2] John Fluevog - Radio BBC Who’s gonna win the war? You will if you rock a a pair of these fine combat boots this summer. Lace em up and take to the streets. And remember: turn heads, don’t stomp on them.
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Photography: Adam Hendrik Styling: Toyo Tsuchiya Styling assistants: VCC Styling Bootcamp March 2010. Models: Brennan and Katie at Richard’s Model Management. Boots courtesy of Gravity Pope.
[2]
www.finnbrand.com
ION THE PRIZE DAYTON These boots were made for walking. But really now, what else could boots be made for? Preparing an eggs benny with a perfect hollandaise sauce? In all fairness the boots in question are a pair of handcrafted, Driver Red Daytons. With a history dating back to 1946, premium leather Daytons are the go to footwear for any boot enthusiast. Even better, you could have these boots on your feet because we are giving them away! Steps to getting a free pair of Daytons: 1) Visit our website 2) Enter the Dayton boot contest 3) Win contest. It’s really that easy. So put down this magazine, get on the internet and get your boot on.
Photography: Tyler Quarles
To enter visit [www.ionmagazine.ca]
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OF THE MONTH [Controversy] Diplo [Packaging] Puma [CD/DVD] Bigger and Blackerer [DVD] The Road
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[1] Controversy—Diplo On our last cover we featured Diplo, who aside from being a cool guy and a
Little Bag, Puma teamed up with industrial designer Yves Behar of Fuseproject and spent 21 months
talented musician, is part of the whole M.I.A/New York Times shitstorm. This featured M.I.A eating french
designing the new packaging. Examining everything from design to materials to production method, the
fries cooked in truffle oil while the writer paints her as some sort of Chardonnay-sipping fake revolution-
final product features a simple cardboard box/bag hybrid with a handle. The new design, Puma claims,
ary. Well, the whole thing has caused quite an online kerfuffle and Diplo was quoted a few times in the
will use 65% less cardboard, and will save 8500 tons of paper, 20 million megajoules of electricity, one
piece and he said some nasty things. Well it’s time to take this guy down a notch or two. During our
million litres of water and 10 tons of carbon dioxide. –Jenkin Au
interview and photoshoot with him we can confirm that Diplo drank fine $12/bottle wine with a straw. He
[www.puma.com] [www.fuseproject.com]
also feasted on an ornate spread of Lebanese food from Nuba that consisted of falafel, tabouleh, chicken
[3] CD/DVD—Bigger and Blackerer If you think Larry the Cable Guy is hilarious you should probably put
tawook and some hummus on pita bread. After the interview, Diplo was driven by our publisher in her
down this magazine, find the nearest ledge and jump (except if you live on the ground floor then find
fancy Ford family van to another restaurant to meet friends for a second, undoubtedly extravagant, meal.
a roof). Chances are if you are into good ol’boy Red State fueled comedy, David Cross is not for you.
Diplo’s response to the controversy which we are tentatively calling Nubagate, was “Errrr waking up on a
Alternatively if you are into the following list of things you will probably also enjoy Cross’s latest DVD
flight witha (sic) giant boner is not as cool as it sounds.”
Bigger and Blackerer: 1) Laughing 2) People with beards 3) Taco trucks 4) Comic books 5) The Internet 6) This
Editors’ Note: We made most of the interview up and stuff he did say wasn’t presented in order. We
List 7) Putting on a David Cross CD in the office and laughing so hard it annoys the other staffers. So there you
didn’t think readers or Diplo would care. Sorry for not explicitly stating that in the piece. Also, the airplane
have it: ION loves David Cross, further Bigger and Blackerer is hilarious. —Zia Hirji
boner quote was just some random tweet we pulled from Diplo’s Twitter account.
[4] DVD—The Road Everyone who read the Cormac McCarthy novel, on which this movie is based, was terrified
[@diplo]
that they were going to adapt it for the big screen. It was such a fascinatingly ambiguous and intense read that
[2] Packaging—Puma While most shoe companies are obsessing over the reinvention of the shoe, Puma
it seemed like there was no way a movie could do it justice. Well, good news bookworms, they didn’t fuck it up.
has dedicated a portion of all their efforts towards the reinvention of the shoebox. Dubbed the Clever
As the story goes, an unspecified catastrophe (Meteor? Nuclear war? Global warming?) decimates the planet and
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[Store] TRUSST [Theatre] Blue Sunshine [Recap] ION does The Junos [Retraction] Brian Donnelly [5]
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civilization as we know it. A Father (Viggo Mortensen) and Son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) journey down a highway to
Stuart Gordon (The Re-Animator). Amazing! Oh, and we highly recommend you see the movie Blue Sunshine. It’s about
the sea in a post-apocalyptic landscape and try to stay alive. The only way to stay alive? Scavenging or cannibal-
people who do bad LSD, lose their hair and go on murderous rampages.
ism. The Father and Son are scavengers which means they definitely don’t want to bump into the survivors who
Blue Sunshine 3660 Boulevard St-Laurent, 3rd Floor [www.blue-sunshine.com] [www.miskatonicinstitute.com]
are cannibals. It’s a world where, “Nobody wants to be here and nobody wants to leave.” Depressing because it
[7] Recap—ION does The Junos So ION produced a guide to the Juno awards in St. John’s. Well, it wasn’t so much a
seems all too possible.
guide to the awards as much as it was a guide to what to do with one’s time while in Canada’s forgotten province and a
[5] Store—TRUSST Andrew Ly, Melissa Matos and Jonathan Cassidy are the creative minds behind Montreal’s
list of fun facts about it. Turns out when we arrived the locals weren’t too down with our humour and generalizations of a
Trusst, a collaborative space that marries art and fashion. This retail-gallery hybrid was birthed on June 9th, 2010, and
corner of the country that none of us had ever visited. Taking revenge, the locals decided to make our editor drink
offers one-of-a kind items from both local and international designers, as well as a house brand clothing label. In the past
a plastic cupped shot of some sort of rum, eat “Newfie steak” (bologna found behind the bar) and “kiss
the brainchildren behind Trusst have successfully carried out projects for clients such as Bench, Ford Models, Elle Canada,
de arse” of a plastic puffin. Art director Tyler and music editor Trevor finding themselves terrified of what
Aritzia, and Nokia. With Trusst, they hope to offer the highest calibre of both art and design. If you want to get your hands
would happen next (a six a.m. Tom Cochrane sing-a-long for the record) retreated to the hotel room to
on these creations but you don’t live in Montreal, they’ve made it easier to appreciate their art by offering it online.
have a cry, drink heavily, throw up in the nude (Tyler only) and Chatroulette with horny women. You win
TRUSST 6341 Boulevard Saint Laurent [www.trusstclub.com] — Alicia Wrobel
Newfoundland. You win. —Trevor Risk
[6] Theatre—Blue Sunshine ION contributor David Bertrand recently moved to Montreal to open up a movie theatre with
[8] Retraction—Brian Donnelly In the last issue we described Brian Donnelly’s work as “pornographic”
Canada’s cult cinema queen, Kier-La Janisse. Blue Sunshine is billed as a “psychotronic screening room” and the plan is to
in an ad for the Limited Edit[ION] t-shirt we did with him. This was a bad choice of words on our part
have screenings three nights a week. Thursdays will feature rare music films, Fridays will feature bizarro trash and cult films
and Brian had nothing to do with it. Calling Brian’s art pornographic poorly represents his intentions.
and Saturdays will be dedicated to avant-garde and art cinema. The space will also be home to the Miskatonic Institute of
Sorry Brian.
Horror Studies. One of the first things they have lined up is master class in adapting H.P. Lovecraft for the screen taught by
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CULTURE
Chad VanGaalen
Waking Life Words: Alysa Lechner
For a self-proclaimed homebody, Chad VanGaalen is surprisingly difficult to get a hold of. But let’s face it, the man is busy, and the prospect of picking Chad’s eccentric and prolific mind is worth the twelve trips to his voicemail message. When he doesn’t answer his phone, one begins to worry whether or not they’re interrupting a major eureka moment in one of Chad’s many creative outlets whether it be his solo music, instrumental side project Black Mold, painting, animation, or, yes, even sculpting. Add a newborn baby to that equation and it’s shocking that Chad even has time to get his 40 winks. But for the singer/songwriter and visual artist, sleep can be a valued and even productive activity as it is one of his most prominent
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sources of inspiration. Chad shares, “That’s the beauty of lifting ideas from your own subconscious mind, it’s pretty boundless, and it’s pretty revealing too so I find it to be super honest… it’s usually hard to criticize a dream just because it is what it is.” Growing up, comic books and graphic novels were one of Chad’s main vices. Looking at his art now, namely the Molten Light video which he drew and animated himself, it’s no surprise that Robert Crumb played a pivotal role in his artistic upbringing. “I’ve been reading Crumb since I was like four. I mean I copied every single page of Zap and all of the Freak Brothers when I was a kid. I redrew every page so that’s pretty much how I learned to sketch properly.
So Crumb’s been a massive influence.” Chad reveals that he “lost his mind” to comics and visual art in general at an early age and to this day admits that there are some aspects to visual art that are more appealing than music. “Visual art I’ve always liked just a lot more because I can work on it wherever I want. I also don’t have to be plugged into anything. I’m getting into alternative energy right now so I’m realizing how excessive my life is, even powering a vintage amplifier you’d need like four hundred monkeys on bicycles going all the time. So with the visual stuff it’s nice just to have a bag of pens and paper, and you don’t have to stare at a computer screen editing. Plus at the end of the day you
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CULTURE
can just hang it on a wall and walk away from it, you don’t have to perform it in front of people. There’s a presentation factor with music that’s really unappealing to me.” While inside Chad’s music videos exists a realm where artwork and music have a mutually beneficial relationship, limiting animation programs and time consumption have shaped a preference for “creating the animation independently from the music,” he says. “It’s just easier to work independently from the sound. So most of it is just morphological, abstract, stoner drawings. It also obviously is pretty labour intensive so in order to keep myself interested, the morphological animation is an easy way for me to work just because you never know what you’re going to end up with. It creates itself as you go.” The subconscious mind is a dominant theme amongst Chad’s pieces
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both musically and visually since he’s often inspired by his own dreams and hallucinations. More recently, however, he’s been delving into the subconscious minds of his friends as he intends to create a sequence of dream testimonial videos. “I’ve just recorded a couple of my friends telling me about their most epic dreams and then I’m rotoscoping and animating a storyline going along with them. I think I’m pretty much working on that project indefinitely, just because it gives me images to work with that I could never imagine on my own. It’s a pretty awesome project to be working on.” Aside from the dream testimonials, he’s also working on a full-length animation that involves a stolen dream machine put on the black market. He’ll forgive its viewers for their confusion since even Chad isn’t so sure about the plot. “There’s this machine that records your alpha-waves onto
a cassette tape and then you can play it back on a holographic projection screen that gets stolen and then gets retrieved… I don’t know if it makes any sense. I’ve played it for a lot of people and they’re just like ‘What the hell is that?’” Chad possesses the type of artistic intelligence some people only dream of as he succeeds at just about anything he gets his hands on. So is there anything this creative Midas can’t or won’t do? “Well, if there was some sort of second Holocaust I don’t think I’d necessarily take part in it.” Fair enough. Expect to see Chad’s work almost anywhere in the days to come, barring any and all neo-Nazi venues, respectively. [www.myspace.com/chadvangaalen]
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CULTURE
JONATHAN BERGERON
Skulls and Bones Words: Nick Hanekom
Montreal-based painter Jonathan Bergeron has spent many years working under the celebrated moniker of Johnny Crap, but it’s a name he is no longer content with. As he moves further and further away from the graffiti and poster art world to focus more specifically on painting for gallery shows and such, the stigma attached to Johnny Crap does not bode well with potential buyers and gallerists alike. When we spoke to him on the eve of his latest show “The Ordinary Life of Death” at L.A.’s Gallery 1988, he’d been working frantically on the final details for the opening; making sure everything was in place so that it would go off without a hitch. Central to the new collection of paintings is the ever-changing Calavera character: a skull-like figure based on the Mexican skull representative of the
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Day of the Dead. His character, however, is more-or-less an urban everyman but with a distinct street edge; he drinks coffee, rides a bicycle and has tattoos—all of which are direct, and indirect, influences of the artist’s personal style and tastes… Tell us more about the concepts at play in “The Ordinary Life of Death.” Are there any distinct narrative threads behind the work and the characters we see in those paintings? When I first began painting the Calavera character, I was painting more of a street culture kind of character—with elements of graffiti, tattoos and skateboards etc—and for this show I’ve decided to go back to that original “street” feel. Since the Calavera represents Death I’ve chosen to put him into these everyday activities, you
know, like reading the newspaper or doing a touch of gardening and stuff like that. Death pops up in the arts often, so tell us, how is your Death character different from other contemporary interpretations of the theme? I don’t know. I know I’m not going to change the world with my view of death so I guess I try and put a bit of humour into it. Death pretty much surrounds us and I tend to get anxious about it so this helps me to reflect and come to terms with stuff like that. This is my way of dealing with it. Girls, dogs and skulls form the basis for the majority of your subject matter—any specific motivation behind that direction? I’ve owned a Boston Terrier for 14 years so they tend to come back
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into most of my paintings. They’re funny dogs with a lot of attitude. I have a new one now and he definitely has a personality of his own. He thinks he’s huge and that he can rule the dog park. I also like old bicycles, and I used to skateboard, so that stuff keeps coming back into my paintings. I actually started painting because of skateboard art and album covers. And I used to play a bit of drums so these are things that tend to pop up in my paintings a lot.
13-years-old. It was mostly punk—when skateboarding was
[Laughs] Ah, no. I would have to say that I work a bit better under
getting popular that was the main music—you know, the Thrasher
So does music have any other influence on how you work or what
It would seem that a lot of your efforts go into preparing for these
you create?
gallery shows. Is there any process you follow to ensure things get
Yeah, I’ve listened to a lot of different music since I was about
done systematically?
pressure so I tend to procrastinate at first and then as the deadline approaches I try and work a lot. I don’t know, personally I have a hard time dealing with stress and I should probably be more serious at the beginning and plan the whole thing out before I start painting. But I find that if I work a lot towards the end it’s a good thing—there is more unity in my work—I’m nonstop into it, but living with the stress can be crazy. Judging by your frequent trips to San Francisco and LA, one could be forgiven for thinking that the demand for your work is greater outside
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compilations and stuff like that. I first started with punk and of course as the years go by tastes change, especially when I was doing graffiti. And then for the last show [“Into the Mystic”] things got a
little darker because I was listening to a lot of black metal, so there were forests and wolves and stuff like that.
of Canada. Would you say this is true? Ah, yeah. Actually Canada is beginning to wake up to that [lowbrow] scene and there are a couple of galleries that are into that kind of work. The biggest one being Yves Laroche gallery here in Montreal. They’ve really been pushing my work along with a lot of other Canadian artists, as well as mixing it up with well-established American artists. The more traditional Canadian galleries are catching on to the fact that there is a huge following of the movement. My stuff is doing a lot better on the West Coast because that movement comes from there. But yeah, it’s definitely moving along.
Finally, can you share some insight into how you balance your artistic integrity, by doing what you love, whilst paying the bills and keeping the wolf from the door? Well it’s hard to say, I don’t know what’s going to happen in the next six months. There have always been skulls in my paintings but that doesn’t mean I’m going to paint skulls for the rest of my life. I’ve never really looked at something and said, “This is selling right now, I can’t change.” I know that a lot of artists get caught up in that—they’re afraid of doing something that might not work anymore, especially if they have a good formula. I will always have a base from
which I work but you never know; something might change in my personal life that affects my art. I like to try new things but once I had a kid it was more about paying the bills by doing what I like. If doing this kind of art doesn’t make money and I can’t pay the bills then I don’t know, I’ll get a job I guess and keep doing my art on the side. I do what I do; it’s not about street cred or anything like that. It’s about doing your own thing and being honest about it. If you’re an artist you just have to keep at it. [www.johnnycrap.com]
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FASHION
NATIVE
MODERN KICKS Words: Alana Turner
Photography: Geoffrey Knott
What defines the perfect pair of shoes? Vancouver designers Damian Van Zyll De Jong and Matthew Penner think they should be unique, comfortable, lightweight, washable and capable of nixing odour-causing germs. Since launching in 2009, their Native shoes label has been selling unique sneakers all over the world. The affordable line features comfortable slip-ons in a variety of bright colours with no need for laces; the shoes are designed to naturally hug the shape of your foot. Not just content with unique designs, Damian and Matthew want Native to be different on all fronts. They achieve this through the materials and processes used to construct each of their shoes. Adamant about creating a product that is easy on the environment,
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the duo decided the best way to make light and airy shoes would be to experiment with a foam-injection mold of Ethylene-vinyl Acetate, or EVA – a cross somewhere between rubber and vinyl. The shoes are made from animal-free by-products and create zero waste and next-to-nothing energy emissions in the manufacturing process. Native’s designs are variations on their three classic models: the Miller, the Jefferson and the Corrado. Skateboarder Chris Miller inspired the Miller sneaker, while the Jefferson was named after a street in Brooklyn a partner currently lives on. The Corrado earned its title after an incident at an important trade show in Las Vegas years back, when a Mr. Corrado gave Native an extremely hard time before allowing the
shoe line access into the show. That show helped give their sample line a solid footing in the fashion world and contributed to rave reviews in the US tradeshow market that year. While Damian and Matthew continue to learn and grow with each day and trade show that passes, a veteran line of casual, comfy sneakers is giving its previous run of adoration and demand a second go this spring. [www.nativeshoes.com]
Styling: Nadia Pizzimenti, judyinc.com Models: Seamus at Elmer Olsen Hair and Makeup: Adele DeVuyst Clothing: Tee- Model’s Own, Shirt- H&M, Shorts- H&M
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FASHION
NORTH STAR
THE GREAT WHITE NORTH Words: Alana Turner
Photography: Geoffrey Knott
North Star is set on proving that successful comebacks are not just reserved for fresh-out-of-rehab celebrities. After a 20year hiatus the iconic sneaker line hopes to generate the same popularity today as it did in the Seventies and Eighties. Started in the Forties by the Bata Corporation, North Star gained popularity with their famous ‘Design 38’ model, which was a classic jogging shoe. Millions of pairs were sold in Canada during the sportswear movement of the Seventies and could be found on almost any foot during that decade. Revitalizing and rejuvenating North Star has been made
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possible thanks to its design team, Adrian Aitcheson and Pablo Mozo, who have decades of experience building and designing brands all over North America. Their latest creative collaboration was for Team Canada’s apparel at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. The inspirational designs and colour schemes for the relaunch of North Star came from Adrian and Pablo’s love of the outdoors, summer camp and the vibrant spirit of Canadian athleticism. The Canada Day 2010 sneaker collection will focus mainly
on the two most popular styles of the past, a comfortable walking shoe, the Jogger, and the high top sneaker, the Bullet. With a clean design and classic primary accent colours available, these throwback-inspired shoes are guaranteed to get you where you need to go. [www.northstarsportswear.ca]
Styling: Nadia Pizzimenti, judyinc.com Models: Patrick at Elmer Olsen Hair and Makeup: Adele DeVuyst Clothing: tee- Horace at Carte Blanche, Shorts- Carte Blanche, Hoodie- H&M
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We asked some of our favourite Toronto musicians to show us their favourite band shirts. Photography Norman Wong Creative Direction Daniel Fazio & Vanessa Leigh Makeup and Hair: Taylor Borris, TRESemmĂŠ Hair Care, judyinc.com Styling: Nadia Pizzimenti, judyinc.com Makeup and hair assistant: Emily Fung, judyinc.com
Musician Hannah from Foxfire Band Shirt Death Row Records This is my favourite because... I used to live in this big house with these four amazing girls. When we all moved out I found this awesome shirt so one of those ladies is definitely going to be asking for it back. Glasses-Aldo | Cuff-Aldo.
Name Dana from Dentata Band Shirt The Plasmatics This is my favourite because‌ Plasmatics rule! Yeah, yeah... Shut up Beavis. Shorts- 55 DSL | Tights- Dana’s own | Bracelet- H&M
Name Josh from Little Girls Band Shirt Lil’ Wayne This is my favourite because… Lil’ Wayne is the best. Hands down. Rebirth sucked, but everything else is on point. Once Wayne gets out of jail he will take over… again. Pants-BDG at Urban Outfitters | Necklace-Josh’s own
Musician Sean from Sexy Merlin Band Shirt Foxfire This is my favourite because... I like the font and the brick wall. Shorts- H&M
Musician Sharon from Teenanger Band Shirt Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson This is my favourite because... I like my t-shirts like I like my men: dirty, old and country Pants: Nudies from Aritzia | Bracelets-Urban Outfitters
Musician Nyssa from Modern Superstitions Band Shirt Sex Pistols This is my favourite because‌ Not because Sex Pistols are my favourite band, but because of what it meant to me when I was 12. Back then the only way to be cool was through t-shirts, and this lime-green tee made me feel super cool, albeit misguidedly. Skirt- Pink Cobra | Bangles- H&M
Musician John O from Diamond Rings Band Shirt Ps I Love You This is my favourite because... I drew some of the pictures on it! Plus‌ Ps I Love You is going to be, like, the second coming of Nirvana. FOR REAL! Necklace- Alynne Lavigne | Makeup by Lisa Howard
Musician Warren from Molested Youth Band Shirt The Omegas This is my favourite because... It’s fucking hilarious and the Omegas are one of the best bands in Canada.
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Jeans- Aprill 77
Musician Aerin from The Bitters Band Shirt Trash Talk This is my favourite because... They play the most evil set I’ve ever seen. Jeans- Diesel | Bangles- Aldo.
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Musician Anna from Fields of Fur Band Shirt Foreigner This is my favourite because... This was my boyfriend’s shirt. Every time he goes on tour I take one of his shirts. It’s a real vintage shirt that he bought off eBay. Oh well, it’s mine now! Leggings- 55 DSL | Necklace- Aldo
Musicians Robert & Maya from Trust Band Shirt The Spice Girls This is my favourite because... Robert: They hid away just in time, just like Kate Bush. Keep them wanting more. Maya: Girl Power! Fuck the Man!
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Him Jeans-Cheap Monday. Her Pants-American Apparel. Ring-Aldo. Necklaces-Vintage | Watch-Casio
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MUSIC
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
PoRn Free Words: Sinead Keane
Illustration: Shannon Elliott
Carl Newman has found himself in quite the compromising position, yet one that he is inadvertently pleased about. Sandwiched between red-neck, boot-stompin’ crowd pleaser, The Zac Brown Band, and the high-pitched ear sore that has driven many angelic-voicedteenage boys to fear the day puberty will destroy their chances of musical theatre fame (Glee, that is), is a strange place to find yourself, especially when you’re an indie rock group who never necessarily imagined ending up in the US Top 20 charts. Since receiving the news on the morning of our interview, Carl is still adjusting to something he admits dreaming about as a kid in his bedroom. “To think we hit the Top 20 is kind of crazy to me. When you see The New Pornographers in there between all the other bands, it feels like we just snuck in there and that security is going to try and remove us.” With their fifth studio album, Together, composed of 12 tracks that are so incredibly catchy you literally can’t get them out of your head (and may just encounter a few angry glances and one “Shut the fuck up” when you sing them under your breath on a packed bus), there is little doubt that the eight-piece band deserve the recognition they have received since the public explosion following the acclaimed 2005 release, Twin Cinema. Carl may just be sick of discussing the merits of the new record given at least 90% of the reviews compare it with Twin Cinema—with a unanimous verdict
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that the former is their best work to date. “Twin Cinema was a certain kind of record that I wanted to make and I did, and I was so happy with that. With Challengers and Together, I thought ‘Let’s make another kind of record.’” The group of ridiculously talented individuals that make up The New Pornographers are still largely Vancouver-based. Comparisons to fellow Canadian ‘supergroup’ Broken Social Scene are frequent at the best of times. Given that both bands just released records on the same day, there has been much speculation as of late about a rivalry, which Carl finds a little annoying, but mainly amusing. “Somebody told me that in Canada, the press was trying to invent a competition between us, which isn’t the case. Mainly because I know in Canada they are going to beat us. I know Broken Social Scene are more popular than us in Canada, so I thought that it was a given that they were going to sell more records than us!” From reading about the band, one could imagine that they have implemented some sort of wacky media clause demanding any reference to their music include the words ‘brilliant harmonies, classic hooks and abstract lyrics’—in the same way Mariah Carey will only let journalists view her face from the left side. This is not at all true—in relation to the former that is (ION still haven’t managed to pull through with the Mariah
interview). Carl was determined to point out that his lyrics are not always as intricate as people think. “People want to think of you in a certain way… they look at me and say ‘He is the guy who writes cryptic lyrics that you can’t understand, so you don’t even bother trying to understand them’. I think it comes from pigeon holing people. You’re a pop band, so your lyrics are not worth listening to. I think if my songs sounded like Bob Dylan, people would say these are really heavy meaningful lyrics, but when you take these lyrics and put them into a pop song, people just think it’s nonsense.” Not that his fellow Pornographers are grappling with the front-man for the limelight. Each of them are very much leading their own successful careers, most notably Neko Case, whose solo career has blown up since her 2006 album, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood, and Dan Bejar with his bizarre, but brilliant musical outlet, Destroyer. Getting the whole gang ‘together’ for the latest album was more like a reunion than work according to Carl and when they hit the road this summer, he’s hoping to encounter a few more rock star experiences like he did this morning. Although this time he’s hoping for a Lady Gaga/Sade sandwich—hold the mayo, relish the thought. Coming to a lunchbox near you. [www.thenewpornographers.com]
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MUSIC TEENANGER
BABA O RILED UP Words: Jenny Charlesworth
Photography: Jeremy R. Jansen
The scene reads like a seventies slasher flick. An ominous black boot emerges from behind the cab door as a burly man hoists himself out of the rusty tow truck. Tugging on the oil-stained shirt stretched across his heaving belly, the man eyes up the stranded musicians leaning against their broken-down tour van. After hours milling about the Desert Inn Motel—a lonely hideaway that feels entirely too reminiscent of the infamous Bates Motel in Psycho—Teenanger are anxious to leave behind the smudge of a town that is Yeehaw Junction, Florida. It isn’t the rescue party they’d hoped for, but the Toronto-based quartet have little choice but to put their faith in the stranger as he motions for bassist Sharon Needles and drummer Salvatore to get into the cab of the rollback, leaving frontman Alex Lekay and guitarist G.C. Gary to the battered passenger van, now secured to the deck of the flatbed, for the long ride ahead. Alex and G.C. fill their time with chain-smoking and talk of exgirlfriends. Up front, nervous silence bookends redneck pleasantries: “You guys smoke?, You guys do marijuana? I seen a 25-foot gator one time!” While there’s every opportunity for the steely glint of a soon-to-bebloody axe blade to make its way into the story, the gory thriller never quite materializes. It seems as though the greasy AAA driver is nothing more than a simpleton who takes pride in detailing the local sex trade as his exhaust-spewing vehicle rumbles down city streets. “She’s hooking. She’s hooking. They’re all hooking tonight.” We may not be dealing with the synopsis of a grainy late-night horror movie, but Teenanger’s recent tour misadventure will live on in infamy all the same. Since releasing their debut full-length, Give Me Pink, the garage rock ruffians have amassed an arsenal of unbelievable tales. While playing shows everywhere from Cleveland to Orlando this past April, more often
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than not, the group lucked into the type of delinquency high school guidance counselors warn of in Just Say No pamphlets. It seems that moving beyond the cassette tape format—the medium for Teenanger’s first two demos, S/T and Banned from the Beaver—was all it took to rev up the wayward rockers’ appetite for high jinx. But then, you’d assume there would be energy to burn after being holed up in a practice space for almost a year fine-tuning what was to become their long player. “It was nice to not have to think about recording for awhile and just take the time to write songs,” says G.C. on the line from his Toronto office. “We still had jobs and played some shows and stuff, but writing was the main focus.” Teenanger’s knack for mixing the downbeat swagger of Gun Club with The Cramps’ glorified primitivism may have already been dialed when Banned from the Beaver emerged in 2008 (the recording was later rereleased as the B-side to a split LP with Charlie & the Moonhearts on Toronto’s Telephone Explosion Records), but their aesthetic has never been so fierce as what’s laid out on Give Me Pink. “I don’t even know what to classify the record as,” says Alex the following day while on the hunt for couscous in Kensington Market, not far from where the new disc was recorded at 6 Nassau with studio co-owner James Anderson. “I want to say we play cowpunk, but if you say that, it’s like K.D. Lang or something.” The “Constant Craving” queen is probably a better reference point, though, than cheesy retro-rock slop, which is how the album might have turned out had the gang paid another visit to Quest Recording Studio, the Oshawa-based studio behind Teenanger’s previous output and that of Canadian metal stalwarts Anvil. “We’d be in his studio recording and we’d go out for a cigarette and we’d come back and Paul [LaChapelle] would be like, ‘So, I put this thing on the bass. Check it out,’” recounts G.C.. “We’d go and listen, and it
would be like this backwards phaser thing, like the most antique Eighties sounding sound effect you could possibly think of.” “I have a soft spot for Paul,” the guitarist continues. “I kind of missed recording with him this time, but James has a different pace—he’s 32 and lives downtown and is just like, ‘Keep going, keep going, keep going’—which is what I think we needed.” Give Me Pink is indeed the product of an engineer working at full throttle, and one who’s tapped into the no-frills M.O. espoused by current stars of the underground like Ty Segall and the Strange Boys. The songs, which are performed by blurry-eyed exhibitionists taking swills from the same jug of moonshine that ignited the spirit of Waylon Jennings and later, Jeffrey Lee Pierce, represent lowbrow rock at its finest. Crazed hootenanny mash ups like “MDMA Jam”—a number that pits a twangy, catchy-asall-hell guitar line against mighty reverb-soaked vocals—flow into robust harmonica-infused romps like “Red Eye Station” with total ease. “Sonically I don’t think it’s as gritty as it could be,” admits G.C.. “I have this sound of us in my brain and it’s not quite there. It sounds like us live though, and that was our intention—just to go in and record it live as a band and not do anything else.” And perhaps that’s what accounts for the inexplicable energy pulsating throughout each track. Teenanger is a band best enjoyed from the front row of a dingy dive. Nowhere else will you get such a sense of the down ‘n’ dirty swagger the outfit unleashes each time they plug into their amps. Catching them in the flesh also means that you might just find yourself immortalized in one of Teenanger’s outrageous tales, and who doesn’t want to be the topic of band lore during some late-night tall can-fuelled jam session years down the road? [www.myspace.com/teenangerrr]
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MUSIC
EUGENE HÜTZ GOGOL BORDELLO
King of the Gypsies Words: Devon Cody Photography: Norman Wong
Can you tell me how the collaboration with Rick Rubin came about for this record, Trans-Continental Hustle? Well, Tom Morello—who has been a good friend and big supporter of Gogol Bordello for years—started bringing Rick to our shows like three or four years ago actually. And so, I think it was the third show when I actually met Rick backstage in LA. Basically just introduced ourselves, but it kind of picked up pretty quickly. Shortly afterwards I was already in Rick’s house showing him my new songs. I think only some couple weeks or maybe a month went by. It was super exciting because Rick has been known as a major force in preserving the art of songwriting. The new album is made up of a surprising number of love songs. And I understand that your choice to relocate from New York to Rio de Janeiro was inspired by a woman. Sounds like you may have found your muse? [Laughs] Yes. My strongest muse. Actually many of those songs had already existed in some form. Working with Rick helped bring those out. What was your biggest surprise working with Rick?
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Well, nothing comes as a surprise when you work with somebody with such a high intelligence—not only musical but literary and emotional intelligence. Of course Rick was super important in the rock and rap world, but it did not come to me a surprise that he was listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan or was interested in Gregorian chanting, y’know? There was nothing surprising about it and in the process of getting to know each other and working a lot, that’s what we did a lot… just listen to music, endlessly. And our process kind of consisted of me going to Brazil or on tour and coming back to Rick’s house every two or three months with a new batch of songs. And what excited me was that he wasn’t scared that every time I see him I have like 20 new songs. The band is pretty scared of that, usually. Being a band with a grassroots following, I imagine there are fans who perceive Gogol Bordello’s signing to American Recordings, as a push toward the proverbial mainstream. Have you encountered any criticism for it? Not really, man. I mean, I’ve never seen it like that to start with. It’s like—I hate to bum you out but the Eighties are over. Back then everything was clear-cut and you had the plastic
stupid façade of mainstream and then you had the underground camp. You had Alternative Tentacles and Dischord Records going strong. But everything has disintegrated in the last two decades and there are many artists that don’t fit in either camp, y’know. Signing with American Recordings was primarily about signing with Rick Rubin. That’s the move we were aiming to make. Gogol Bordello doesn’t seem like the kind of band that formulates a detailed plan for success, and yet the past six years or so you’ve become more and more successful and have worked with some pretty high profile people. What do you attribute this to? We’ve always just wanted to do what we love, and fortunately things are just taking their course. I’ve always felt like we have had our own destiny. Ever since I was young and I would play my songs… people would be interested. So I always felt that was the direction I should go. We are the first people from Eastern Europe that have been taken seriously abroad here. There is no manual on how to deal with it. We’re making it up as we go along but we’re very committed to the quality of our music. Let’s talk a bit about your endeavours outside of music, as a model and an actor. I get the sense that it gets your quills up a
Stylist: Toyo Tsuchiya, Grooming: Eduardo Mella, TRESemme Hair Care, judyinc.com, Vintage military shirt from House Of Vintage
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bit when people start discussing your previous experience in the fashion world. [Laughs] Not really. It’s true that in the early years, basically our first recognition came from the art world and we were spending lots of time flying around to play in galleries and museums and that quickly crossed over into the fashion world. That was just something I started getting irritated with because I started getting interviewed as a fashion icon and this kind of bullshit. What’s your opinion on fashion as an art form? Well, fashion is basically one of the lower forms of art. I don’t detest fashion. It’s just that the importance is blown out of proportion. Most fashion has become institutionalized elitism. Personally, I don’t give a fuck about fashion. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate if somebody whips some combination out that I’ve never seen before. Fashion is great when it is spontaneous and upbeat, or from somebody whose aesthetic about fashion is very artistic and solid like, say, Yohji Yamamoto. You’ve also said you don’t care much for acting. This is not entirely true. I enjoy acting. But there are many things that have to feel right. Many things have to come together. It has to be the right kind of story and with integrity and the right group of people. I like very much when it’s like a gang. Like a gang mentality—kind of like being in a band. Do you have acting gigs on the horizon? Well, with film projects you can’t really say too much about them until it’s for sure they are going to happen. I’m fortunate that some of my favourite directors have communicated that they are fans of Gogol Bordello’s music… like Emir Kustirica, Jim Jarmusch, and Jonathan Demme. Upon meeting those amazing directors and finding out that they find my music and character inspiring gives me a lot of optimism for cinema-future. Is there such thing as an ultimate goal or ultimate success for Eugene Hütz? Well, I’m a big believer in Eastern philosophy. That ultimate goal and final point are very Western ideas. Frankly, I don’t
know what the fuck they mean. It’s like saying the goal of life is death. The movement through time and space… that’s the goal. Some Western poets and artists are aware of that too. There’s a great Bukowski title: What Matters Most is How You Well You Walk Through the Fire. That’s that my friend. It’s how well you navigate through time and space. If you navigate great it’ll bring you to the goal that needs to be. I think that is why gypsy mentality and gypsy spirit and psychology is so married to a moment and celebration of the moment. The roots of it are in India… in that Eastern philosophy. It all comes from that old-soul philosophy and way of life. Why do you think Western culture has such a romantic intrigue with gypsy culture when they are so entrenched in such an opposing philosophy? Well, it’s a very young culture. Comparatively, it’s really in the baby stages. The song “Rise the Knowledge” on the new album is precisely about that. It’s about Eastern knowledge coming to the rescue. I came across a quote from you in an interview you did for the UK paper The Independent which stated: “You’ll never find refuge in nostalgia: I think it’s just a form of laziness.” Do you feel that will still apply when you look back on this period your life, say, 25 years from now? Big-time, man. I mean, the idea of nostalgia is very much a part of the Western condition. It’s also been employed as a big business by capitalists milking people’s weaknesses—a form of mental laziness. People are chasing the wrong things. It seems people are either constantly aiming towards some goal that they think will finally free them, or they are taking comfort in things that have already happened. It’s this doomed way of thinking that the best time in their life has either already happened, or that it never will happen, y’know? So, I’m not really a fan of that. It’s not about arriving anywhere, or dwelling on all the places you’ve been. It’s about the cruising. [www.gogolbordello.com]
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MUSIC
Black Tambourine
TAMBER ALERT Words: Trevor Risk
The Maryland foursome of Mike, Brian, Archie and Pam known as
Mike: I guess it’s for the fans but also a little bit self-indulgent, what
Vivian Girls, the Girls at Dawn, and the now-defunct Cause Co-
Black Tambourine are the The Velvet Underground of fuzzy noise pop;
with the gatefold sleeve and all. When putting this together I tried to
Motion!. I got to mix a bunch of the Pains’ songs for Slumberland,
not everybody bought their records but everyone who did formed
imagine what a fan would want to have, hence the nice sleeve, extra
and it was probably the most satisfying music-making experience
a band. They’re all still very active within the genre and music in
liner notes and documentation. I don’t think we left anything out.
I’ve had.
general with specific kudos to be given to Mike for keeping the
Brian: To me it was a great way to help promote Slumberland on its
A lot of the myth that surrounds your creation refers to Black
Slumberland label going strong and recently celebrating its 20-year
20th anniversary, and it’s hard to imagine there would be a better
Tambourine as a reactionary band to UK staples of the time like Sarah
anniversary. ION was luckily enough to catch up with all four of them
time to do it given the attention that noise pop music coming out of
Records. Were you directly influenced by the goings on across the
to spitball about the reissue of their complete recordings, Eric’s
Brooklyn and elsewhere is getting now.
great pond or was there a more organic beginning?
Trip, their song about The Pastels and Seattle based bands name-
Are you involved with that Brooklyn noise pop scene at all? Do you
Archie: We were very much influenced by that stuff, particularly
checking them in songs about being twee.
have some favourite acts?
the noisier, Psychocandy-influenced bands. We were all fanatical
Brian: I’m only involved as a fan. I really like Crystal Stilts and Pains
record-buyers, and we were really excited by a lot of things coming
Is re-issuing this record just for your fans, to put feelers out for a
of Being Pure at Heart.
out at the time, or from the previous few years.
revival or adorable self-indulgence?
Archie: I love a lot of that stuff, particularly the Pains, Crystal Stilts,
Mike: For sure, I think we all were very inspired by the pop coming
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from outside of the US, the UK and New Zealand in particular. There
a father of two kids with very little time it’s great to have
the Pastels after that and they were as ace as you would
were a lot of common influences—Ramones, Shangri Las, Byrds,
quick and easy access to music via the internet. I’m not sure
expect (and thankfully not grudge-holders, either).
Buzzcocks—with a lot of those bands, so when I’d hear records by
how I’d feel about it if I was 20 again.
How does the band feel about the Tullycraft song “Twee”?
people like Shop Assistants or Bubblegum Splash or Razorcuts I just
Pam: I wouldn’t say compilation culture is all but gone. I’m
Mike: I’ve never heard it.
felt a real kinship.
definitely buying less music these days than I used to, I
Archie: Me neither.
How did a band from Silver Spring, Maryland get noticed before the
don’t have as much time and disposable income as I did 20
Pam: I think Mike should start putting Slumberland guitar
advent of blog culture and MySpace?
years ago, but I still buy actual records and CDs instead of
cases on his merch table!
Archie: For the most part, we weren’t noticed. But just as we
downloads and I’m still hearing great bands for the first time
Have you actually never heard it or are you sarcastically
were able to keep up with a bunch of new, obscure stuff through
on compilations from the likes of Matinee Recordings and
avoiding the question and taking the piss out of me?
resources like the K Records newsletter or Parasol distribution
Jabalina and Where It’s At Is Where You Are. I’m more likely
Mike: I’ve really never heard it.
or really great record stores like Vinyl Ink, people who were into
to buy-and-try a comp over one band’s LP if I’m impulse
Brian: I really haven’t heard it either.
our kind of music were able to find out about us through the
buying things I don’t know much about, but maybe I’m in
Pam: I have heard it and I was serious about the guitar
same kinds of things. It just took a bit more work back then.
the minority here.
cases.
Brian: We used more primitive means of communication: pen
We’re a Canadian magazine so I have to ask you if you ever
Archie: Nope, really never heard it. I’ve heard “Pop Songs
and paper, wired telephone, public and private transportation.
listened to/played with/were friends with Eric’s Trip. They
Your New Boyfriend’s Too Stupid To Know About” though, and
Pam: In addition to hanging out at the record store, trading
were our fuzz pop heroes.
it seemed like a pretty cool jam.
fanzines/cassettes/records and word of mouth were all great
Archie: I think Black Tambourine broke up before Eric’s Trip
What is everyone spending their time on currently and what’s
ways to find out about small releases of vinyl on independent
released anything over here. Brian and I were subsequently
next?
labels. Getting mail you could open and put on the turntable
in Velocity Girl, who were Sub Pop labelmates with Eric’s
Mike: I try to spend as much time as possible with my little
and sending a note with a mixtape were mostly yesteryear
Trip, but we never met or played with them. I always liked
boy, though work and the label keep me pretty busy. I’ve
activities that I confess I miss.
what I heard by them. If it’s any consolation, Velocity Girl
got a single coming out in a few weeks by my most recent
There was a strong compilation culture in the late Eighties
played shows with Jale, Sloan, and Zumpano...
band, called Manatee.
with records like SpinArt’s One Last Kiss and Creation’s Doing
Mike: You can count me as a fan—I have a few of their
Archie: I’ve been recording and mixing some songs of my own
It For The Kids. With it all but gone do you feel there is
records and like them a bunch.
after my daughter goes to bed. I’ve released a couple of them
something missing from the organic stumble-across culture
Brian: I remember playing a show in Halifax and hanging out
on Slumberland over the past few years, and hope to finish a
of discovering bands?
with Jale, with whom we’d toured quite a bit, and thinking it
record someday.
Archie: Honestly, I don’t. Personally, I really, really miss
felt like such a great supportive music scene there.
Pam: I’ve got two fab daughters in the five-n-under set and I
spending hours at record stores, but I feel like it’s actually
Archie: Brian, dude, Eric’s Trip were from Moncton.
work freelance from home at night after they go to bed, so I don’t
pretty easy these days to stumble across new and exciting
Brian: It’s just an elk’s ride down the road right?
have enough time as I’d like to for getting up to non-work craft and
music through the internet, especially blogs.
Could you describe for our readers what “Throw Aggi Off the
music stuff. But when I can I make things with a sewing machine,
Mike: It’s definitely different now. I feel like there’s a little
Bridge” is about and what your relationship with The Pastels
print things on the Gocco and letterpress, do a bit of recording in
less community, a little less of actually meeting fellow
was like after the release?
the kitchen and some hanging out in the garden. I’m one third
music fans face-to-face and a bit more just sitting at home
Pam: I was a big fan of the Pastels and had seen a great
of the Gregory Webster Trio—we’re recording some new songs this
downloading stuff. I won’t say it was better then, but the
video on SnubTV for Crawl Babies—I just watched the video
month—and I sang some songs with my old Shapiros bandmate on
amount of effort one had to go through to find out about and
again on YouTube and that cracking tune definitely stands
the new Bart & Friends CD that just came out.
actually hear new music made it seem much more valuable
the test of time—where Stephen was spinning around singing
to me.
on a bridge. Out of that unrequited popstar crush came a
Brian: There’s definitely a devaluation of the music with the
song featuring a crime of passion. I don’t guess at the time I
ease of access now, but at the same time for me now as
expected the Pastels to ever hear that record, but I did meet
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[www.myspace.com/btambourine]
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Illustration based on photography by Tae Won Yu
MUSIC REVIEWS 1
CocoRosie [Grey Oceans] Hank III [Rebel Within] Jon & Roy [Homes] Konono N° 1 [Assume Crash Position]
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[1] CocoRosie Grey Oceans Sub Pop CCR: the next generation? Since 2003, we’ve come to know CocoRosie as the quirky sister-duet whose baby alien voices conjure the most poetic atmospheres and pornographic images imaginable. With the release of their fourth album, Grey Oceans, Bianca “Coco” and Sierra “Rosie” Casady welcome us into yet another dreamscape of Tantric chants, quivering Congo beats and their trademark twinkle-twinkle-little-starisms. For those who haven’t heard of CocoRosie, well, if you have a tendency to get lost in the deep space of contemplation, meditation or masturbation, Grey Oceans could be a very useful tool for your music box. What exactly are they singing? Who knows… but it sure feels good down there. -Jules Moore [2] Hank III Rebel Within Curb Boring, uninspired, and unoriginal . . . go ahead and add contrived to the list. The lyrics are shallow and full of more clichés than a highschooler’s LiveJournal, all delivered with a ridiculous cartoonish Southern drawl that feels more put-on than Clay Aiken’s heterosexuality. Listening to this was like having a conversation with someone who has the life experience of a 14-year-old with the brain deterioration of a 98-year-old. Instead of reminding us of Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard or even Hank Sr., Rebel
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Within is far more reminiscent of a mixture of some modern linedancing Cotton-Eyed-Joe-Macarena bullshit, that slow Kid Rock song (the one from like 2001 or some shit where he used auto tune on his voice to hide how terrible a singer he is), every song by Flogging Molly, a little bit of Limp Bizkit and a whole lot of your dad’s buddy’s band that plays at that shitty bar outside of town on Thursday nights. -Jeremy McAnulty [3] Jon & Roy Homes Independent For those that are fans of Jon & Roy, huzzah! Homes is now here. Ranging from folksy lullabies, afrorhythms and reggae, the album once again showcases Jon Middleton’s talents as a songwriter and Roy Vizer’s skills at percussion. Homes provides a nice summertime release for those beer-swilling, fire pit party nights that we all so enjoy. My primary concern for the album is its overall relevance. It doesn’t seem to forcefully move the listener in any direction as it sort of just toddles along. This sentiment is nice for days of rest, but I think that Jon & Roy would benefit by getting outside of their comfort zone as they do have the talent. “Get Myself a Gun” and “Deerfoot” are my two favourite tracks, with the latter being one of the stronger closing tracks that I’ve heard this year. Worth a listen… especially at the beach. -Dr. Ian Super
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[4] Konono N° 1 Assume Crash Position Crammed Disc I once had a conversation with a good friend of who worked in advertising. He told me that he dealt with the guilt of working in advertising because it gave him the resources to create artistic spectacles that previously were out of his reach. This conversation came to mind when reviewing the new Konono N°1 album. Not only are they going full out already by manipulating parts of dead cars to create their own PA systems to amplify traditional African instruments, Konono N°1 are going for broke in one fell swoop via the plethora of guest musicians littering the album (as well as employing a Konono cover band, who use electric guitars and basses). Much like the advertising friend they’re making something popular by taking ignored material and pushing it to the forefront. They are bringing together the contemporary history of Congotronics by mashing together their peers, their influences and their influence on the next generation of African street bands in one recording. Whether or not you like this, you need to listen to this artistic spectacle. -V Vecker
Marina and the Diamonds [The Family Jewels] Stone Temple Pilots [s/t] Tame Impala [Innerspeaker] Teenage Fanclub [Shadows]
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[5] Marina and the Diamonds The Family Jewels Atlantic Half-Greek, half-Welsh Marina Diamandis grew up fascinated with America—its glamour, its excess and its many iterations of Madonna. This month, her debut album The Family Jewels—under the name Marina and The Diamonds (the “Diamonds” are her ever-multiplying fans)—hits North American shelves, and it offers something so few pop stars on this side of the Atlantic can: a fun, funny and genuinely un-ironic pop album. She approached the genre with the same dedicated aplomb Kate Bush once did, crooning “Cuckoo!” in the buoyant “Mowgli’s Road” or belting, “Guess what? I am not a robot!” in (guess what?) “I Am Not a Robot,” her affecting debut single. And just as Kate Bush once said she wanted her music to push listeners against the wall, writersinger-pianist Marina confronts you with her lyrics. “Not going to bend over and curtsy for you,” she croons in “Girls.” “I feel like I’m the worst, so I always act like I’m the best,” she admits unflinchingly in “Oh No!” In every catchy, danceable song she lays her cards on the table—and every time, it’s a diamond flush. -Nojan Aminosharei [6] Stone Temple Pilots s/t Atlantic Remember the “Big Bang Baby” video? The videography was straight-up The Knack. Dean DeLeo dressed in Fifties lounge lizard gear, gripping a late-Sixties pink paisley Tele bass; his brother Robert, hiding behind scraggly hair, had the Keef moves
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down and got a good honk out of his lipstick-driven Danelectro; Eric Kretz was behind a three-piece when most drummers were behind a huge trap kit; and Weiland had the quintessential greasy bleached hair with roots grown out and a chin strap; the song itself a glam throwback with a direct lift of the Stones’ “Jumping Jack Flash.” I was 14 at the time and didn’t care they were pastiche artists; so is Beck, though he looked to Tropicalia and G-Funk rather than FM radio. The brothers DeLeo however know how to get the best out of the 10 strings between ‘em, and Weiland sounds better in the role of pseudo-psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll singer than leather-clad rawk frontman. Nostalgia can be fun, but what you consume as a kid is ultimately just one of many means to an end. -Adam Sabla [7] Tame Impala Innerspeaker Modular Australian threepiece Tame Impala’s debut LP Innerspeaker is a razor sharp psychedelic rock album. And although the music is psychedelic it remains accessible and upbeat thanks to remarkably catchy fuzzed-out hooks and a driving lazer-guided rhythm section. Reportedly recorded in the Australian desert, and mixed by Flaming Lips associate Dave Fridmann in upstate New York, all the elements of Innerspeaker have an even, crisp sound while each instrument drifts in and out perfectly matching the tone of one another. “Why Wont You Make Up Your Mind” and “Alter Ego” serve nicely as driving psych-pop singles, while the most im-
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pressive moment of the album is when “Runway Houses City Clouds” dissolves into a shredding synth coda. Within four days of receiving Innerspeaker I had listened to the whole album 57 times, according to the play count on my just-melted-down iPod (unrelated). I sincerely hope to hear everyone playing these sun-soaked psych jams at the indie rock section of the beach all summer. -Tyler Fedchuk [8] Teenage Fanclub Shadows Merge If you know anything about pop music, then you know (and love) Teenage Fanclub. In fact, we can all just admit that their 1992 album Bandwagonesque is a masterpiece, exemplifying the Scottish foursome as a sort of medium, channeling popular song greats through their brilliant melodies, harmonies, long hair and grungy vibes. However, it’s also safe to say they peaked in the Nineties, along with many other bands with this sound, so you might be a bit reluctant to pop in their latest disc. The first track, “When I Still Have Thee” begins with a pleasant two-part harmony, singing the line “will I still have much/when I still have thee?” which at first makes me cringe, but as it progresses I realize, shit, this is charming. This happens again with track two, three, four and right up to the end. The album is a nostalgic hug from the Sixties, via the Nineties, from a couple of Scots that seem to breathe melody and harmony from every pore of their being. -Louise Burns
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POSTER ART
jeffry lee
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Jeffry Lee is into Hard Drugs. Lines are his preferred method of execution. It is not clear whether he is under the influence when creating his predominantly hand-drawn graphics, but whatever the method involved, the product is kick-ass visual art rooted in
punk rock. Early influences include iconic and slightly disturbing comic artist Raymond Pettibon and some gangsta cut-and-paste style promoters. “I remember this one promoter used to put Sub Pop or Epithaph logos in his collage gig posters just to sucker
people into thinking that the bands playing were on those labels, when in actuality the label logos had nothing to do with the shows.� Be sure to check out his band Hard Drugs if you get the chance.
They just moved back to Canada from Brooklyn and we couldn’t be more stoked. [www.jeffrylee.ca] [www.myspace.com/harddrugs]
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ION THE WEB THE ARAB PARROT THE BEDBUG REGISTRY THE FAT JEW THE KATIE GIRLS Words: Zia Hirji 1
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[1] [THE ARAB PARROT] The Arab Parrot is probably one of my favourite blogs to check. Basically this dude flies around LA and goes on adventures. Even better he documents them all on film cameras and posts the photos up. Expect a lot of birds, the odd celeb sighting and a general appreciation for how weird LA is. [www.thearabparrot.com] [2] [THE BEDBUG REGISTRY] The Bedbug Registry Do you want to freak yourself out? Really give yourself a good old-fashioned M. Night Shyamalaning? Then dare to check if you’re building is listed on the Bed Bug Registry. If it is, welcome to your own personal hell. [www.bedbugregistry.com]
[3] [THE FAT JEW] Jew Diamond Phillips is 1/3 of Team Facelift, has the second best male haircut known to man and is hilarious. Examples, “Sex with me is like connecting to the internet on dial-up: Full of weird noises, painfully slow to load, you should probably upgrade” and “Found a mozzarella stick in my rental car glove compartment and ate it, no hesitation. That’s gangster. Would a blood or crip do that?” Seriously Follow him. [@fatjew] [4] [THE KATIE GIRLS] Did you know they let girls onto the internet now? Weird, right. Three of the girls that are now on the internet have created a pretty neat fashion blog. They cover everything from Fashion Week to interesting shops. They also score some great interviews. So if you want to be put onto some cool stuff by three cute (I assume) girls, check it out. [thekatiegirls.blogspot.com]
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HOROSCOPES THIS MONTH: Maxwell Maxwell Maxwell Maxwell is a 23-year-old electronic music producer, DJ, and host of a weekly radio show on CiTR 101.9FM. He was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, and currently lives in Vancouver. By now, his remix of Larry Tee’s “Agyness Deyn” is probably available on a blog near you. [www.myspace.com/maxwellmaxwell]
GEMINI: Throughout the upcoming weeks, romance is in the air for Gemini. This probably won’t go over well with your current boyfriend, who has yet to find out about your total inability to have more than three drinks without slipping and falling on a dick. CANCER: According to Wikipedia, Cancers are “loving” and “imaginative.” You’re just neurotic and not really good at anything, though, which makes trying to live like you’re a character from one of the quirky, heartwarming films of director Michel Gondry pretty difficult. Good thing you have a trust fund. Consider a trip abroad or art school. Or better yet, art school abroad! LEO: All the people at the non-profit volunteerrun, pansexual, wheelchair-accessible, antiracist dance party know that you were one of the popular kids in high school and they’re talking all kinds of shit about you every time you go outside to smoke your American Spirits. VIRGO: I know this one guy who goes to lots of events and always dresses kind of outlandishly
but looks really sharp, and your pictures end up on the same party blogs, and it’s kind of obvious that you’re trying to look like him but it’s not working because he has better bone structure and taste. Sorry. LIBRA: Scorpios are intensely sexual beings who are easily able to express themselves physically. Their sensual nature often leads to incredible chemistry in the bedroom, especially with a fellow water sign like Pisces or Cancer. Unfortunately, you’re actually a Libra, so you probably just like fucking a lot of dudes because of your messed up relationship with your dad. SCORPIO: You have a beer gut you didn’t have to pay for and your hearing is permanently shot from blasting illegally downloaded Diplo remixes over shitty dive-bar sound systems. If blogs could give out medals, you’d have a Purple Heart. Go get ‘em, tiger. SAGITTARIUS: “Sagittarius” is incredibly hard to spell and if you squint when you look at it, the word sort of looks like “sad,” “twit,” “saggy tits”
and “virus” all mushed up together. Coincidentally, those words also pretty much describe your future.
you backstage. None of this changes the fact that you’re painfully awkward and you smell like a dumpster full of rotting smegma.
CAPRICORN: Jupiter says don’t let them take you alive, but is unclear who exactly “they” are. Lucky for you, astrology is a bunch of horseshit and only taken seriously by earnest vegetarian women who believe strongly in angel energy and who buy porcelain dolls off the Home Shopping Network when they get older.
ARIES: Pabst Blue Ribbon is an American beer that was made popular with “the kids” due to its cheapness, its enjoyment by poor people in fly over states and its recommendation by an apoplectic Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet. Despite sharing all these qualities with PBR, you are popular with no one at all. Go figure.
AQUARIUS: Quick-witted Aquarians, in the wizarding world of Harry Potter, would likely be sorted into Ravenclaw. You already know this, because your fear of grown-up books leaves ample time for 1,200-page Ron/Dumbledore male pregnancy fanfics. Romance is unlikely: Venus’ movements suggest that you quit wasting your money on flowers and restaurants and invest in a fleshlight and some more anime.
TAURUS: You’re looking a little hefty lately. Sure, you could cut back on the drinking and junk food and go for a jog or something, but why not just go for the gold and see how long it takes you to get your very own ham-powered electric mobility scooter? According to Neptune, walking is for suckers.
PISCES: Your band is getting some major buzz on all the blogs, your blog is breaking all the new buzz bands, and bands are blogging about how they got buzzed with
ION 59
COMICS
DINOSAUR COMICS BY RYAN NORTH
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