THE SOUND ISSUE
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C A N V A S
VOLUME 3 ISSUE 3
MARCH + APRIL 2013 publisher
DANTE COLOMBATTI
editor-in-chief
REBECA ARANGO
art director + fashion editor ERIN DENNISON
design + production director RACHEL MANY
designers
NATHAN WARNER ZEENA WINN
photography
BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ RAYMOND MOLINAR RACHEL MANY CAPTAIN
account managers
MATT OLSON JANESSA MOLINA
contributors
ARJUNA NEUMAN ROSS GARDINER JULIE ROTH
events director MAX EHRLICH
social media director VI NGUYEN
social media
ASHLEY TUTTLE KRISTA SANTIAGO NATASHA GOFF
editorial assistant MEGAN LABER
+crew
COLE WESTERHOLM MITCHEL DUMLAO RONALD PRE DANIELLE ALCARAZ OLIVER
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No time for laces. The Oxford. Available at www.royalelastics.com Shot at Sakinaw Lake Lodge www.sakinawlakelodge.com
C A N V A S
EDITOR’S NOTE editor-in-chief REBECA ARANGO From my desk at the LA CANVAS studio, I can hear an unidentified mid-frequency buzz pulsing at the rate of 80 beats per minute. At least an octave higher, there’s the monotonous collective hum of the computers. Together they produce a slightly sinister perfect 5th, garnished by the glittery whisper of ceiling fan-swirled air (which I imagine resonates clearer with our canine companions). This is what the world sounds like in 2013, where most of our popular music is made of slices of other music, constructed from 1s-and0s that can be infinitely rearranged, and widely consumed on websites like Soundcloud, where comments cluster around the cliff of the drop. Unsurprisingly, producing the Sound Issue has given the struggle between man and machine a starring role in our March/April publication. It peeks its head in conversation with DJ/illustrator/tastemaker Franki Chan (p. 18) and Boiler Room founder Blaise Belville (p. 20), but there are two stories in particular in which its whole body seems to surface. Despite speaking different languages of style, hip-hop producer/rapper Chase N. Cashe (p. 16) and sound-art collective Lucky Dragons (p. 36) are both caught moderating the digital conflict. For New Orleans native Chase N. Cashe, there’s the tension between his traditional, acoustic origins and his technology-dependent craft, which is resolving itself as he crosses over from beatmaker to MC. When it comes to the art of Lucky Dragons, the means are at odds with ends; the challenge is to use electronic sound to foster a physical, collective connection. For years now, the music industry discussion has centered on the way the Internet has revolutionized distribution. But what both of those stories speak to are the more immediate ways the art has been altered, the intimate parts occurring before and after all that logistical nonsense: creation and perception. The computer is more often than not, the middleman. And whether it’s a larynx, a mandolin, or a gramophone, music always has a middleman. Analog or digital, there’s still an artist on one side and an ear on the other. And it seems the longer we cohabitate with technology, the more adept the artist becomes at narrowing the divide between spirit and computer, and the more adept technology becomes at translating what’s human. For example, take the song-identifying App “Shazam.” Like many programs, it aspires to be a human with infinite knowledge and memory. I had previously imagined it working in a simple, linear way, by comparing the shape of a recorded sound wave to a library of other shapes on a server somewhere. But this sort of 2D pattern recognition would be nearly impossible, because most of the recorded music we hear in public is compressed. Meaning, the distinctly mountainous pattern of a wave is distorted, flattened, or cut-off; its signature binary representation is reconfigured. So Shazam must identify music through a more complex process—one more analogous to the function of the human ear—by identifying an acoustic fingerprint: a multi-dimensional picture of a record constructed from a group of perceptual characteristics. Even as all of these measurements together seem to approximate human ability, they are still database-dependent. What Shazam couldn’t possibly do is identify the voice of Bruce Springsteen singing “Happy Birthday” in the other room. But maybe the CIA has software that can.
SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE
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PLAYED DANCE RIGHT | SUBSUELO Every third Thursday of the month, Boyle Heights loosens a couple screws with a ratchet of global-bass proportions. A mix of moombahton, cumbia, hip-hop, tropical funk, and other sounds that seem underground in Spanish, Subsuelo at Eastside Luv is the party that takes you around the world without any help from Daft Punk. Even Diplo, the reigning king of world-groove reappropriation, gives his stamp of approval. This past February, the Subsuelo DJs and Mad Decent took over the Bootleg to celebrate the producer’s Grammy nomination. Does this mean the line will be longer now? SUBSUELO.ORG
RISING | BODY PARTS Experimental pop is kind of an oxymoron. How do you experiment with something that’s by definition formulaic? Well, LA duo Body Parts are doing as good a job as any, encoding potentially provocative messages into simple lyrics, threading chaotic spurts of sound together into song, and looking like really hip weirdos in the process. Bring your heads-shoulders-knees-and-toes over to the Satellite on March 24th to catch the Parts performing their spaz-worthy funk jams in the flesh. Get your freak on. BODYPARTSBAND.COM
FOR THE RECORD | HOUSE SLIPPERS House Slippers is a compilation made for lurking around in the dark, exchanging sultry whispers and sipping percolating elixirs—to pulsing house beats, naturally. The debut compilation from LA record labelslash-DJ duo Young Adults, House Slippers drops on April 24th, promising exclusive tracks from dance artists like Mark E, Permanent Vacation, Grown Folk, and NYCPARTYINFO, all dynamically mixed together to last all night. Or at least, as long as you can. YOUNGADULTS.US
THE EVOLUTION OF R&B In the early 1980s, disco imploded, leaving behind a dark cloud of digital debris bound by surplus sexual energy that quickly turned into contemporary R&B. A synthetic sound newly liberated from the dance floor’s glittery expectations, the genre has since gone in-and-out of chart supremacy while remaining at the forefront of electronic pop production. Most recently, R&B’s signature silky melisma and sultry beats have been adopted by the indie-alternative crowd, pushing its sound in yet another direction. This month’s two-hour playlist follows R&B’s evolution from Marvin Gaye to Miguel, Jamie Woon, and Body Language, with an appropriately massive stopover in the 90s for some Ginuwine. Jump on it.
“Sexual Healing” Marvin Gaye
“Between the Sheets” The Isley Brothers
“Be Thankful” Omar & Erykah Badu
“One Mo’ gin” D’Angelo
“Pony” Ginuwine
“Too Close” Next
“Back & Forth” Aaliyah
“Axela” Robert Raimon Roy
“Devotion” Jessie Ware
“Wanna Love U Girl” Robin Thicke
“Adorn” Miguel
“Lasting Love” Blood Diamonds
STREAM THE FULL PLAYLIST ON THE LA CANVAS SPOTIFY
THE THRILL OF THE CHASE HIP-HOP ARTIST-OF-ALL-TRADES CHASE N. CASHE BUILDS HIS OWN LADDER TO THE TOP
You could say Jesse Woodward is a child of New Orleans. He
he describes as “diluting your whackness,” elaborating: “I highly doubt
holds himself with both immensity and ease. As he speaks, his long arms
Quincy Jones walks into the studio thinking he’s going to do anything
draw huge emphatic circles while his words spill effortlessly at a steady,
whack. That’s what you work your way towards. Once I figured out that I
mesmerizing pace, with the lucid confidence of someone who’s always on
could sell beats through a period of time, I was like, Ima be alright. Then
time yet never in a rush.
once ‘Drop the World’ came out, that solidified it: I ain’t whack no more.”
But that’s only half the story. To understand how Jesse went from
But as far as his credibility as a rapper is concerned, Chase N.
a restless kid drumming on tables to the award-winning producer and up-
Cashe won’t operate with Quincy-level conviction till he gets that number
and-coming rapper known as Chase N. Cashe, you have to look to the other
one. And unlike his contemporaries who have signed to major labels, he's
beast that raised him: the Internet.
committed to going for it on his own terms. Because rapping isn’t about
“Fucking Kazaa!” Jesse exclaims emphatically. “Kazaa, Win MX,
adding another slash to his list of trades, but part of a grand vision of a
Napster, that’s what got me into music. It’s not like I could ask my parents
Chase N. Cashe who is 100% everything, and also something the self-
or any of my homies to teach me to play piano or anything, but I could
proclaimed “funny motherfucker” just grew up doing.
download tutorials, bootleg programs, instrumentals—anything I could
Favorably, the ball is rolling: last year after independently going
think of typing in. I feel like that’s what made me what I am today.” That
on tour with Drake, Kendrick Lamar and A$AP Rocky, he released his
is: the beatmaker behind Eminem and Wayne’s “Drop the World,” the friend
second album of rhymes, the aptly titled Charm. Chase’s production chops
who introduced Drake and A$AP Rocky, and the industry pro with names
account for about half the tracks, while the leftover pie is divvied up by
like Diddy and Jimmy Iovine casually populating his contacts.
a team of notable beatmakers like Jahlil Beats and Araabmuzik. Under
Not that those three things piled up even approach the height of Jesse’s ambition. Though they do offer financial stability, a goal he’s made
Chase’s executive-direction, it’s a cohesive album that begins to define his sound. And that sound is an unexpectedly nostalgic one.
lyrically plain on a handful of records. In Jesse’s case, the struggle to stay
It started with “O.M.W,” a laid-back beat Chase built around
afloat has been in pursuit of creative freedom, independence being the first
an acoustic guitar loop and a sample from Playa/Aaliyah's 90’s hit “One
step in becoming the household name he aspires to be (“You don’t get to
Man Woman.” From there, he kept at it, mixing old-school R&B and soul
where Jay-Z is by being irresponsible.”). A product of his generation if there
samples with wonky jazz keyboards and funky guitar licks. Producer Mark
ever was one, it was hearing crickets-as-percussion in Missy Elliot beats that
Christian ran with the idea on the tripped-up groove “Star 67,” and again
inspired his art, and watching artists flaunt their goods on MTV Cribs that
on the slick album-ender “Kill Yourself,” the song that personifies Jesse’s
inspired his drive. So after Hurricane Katrina hit his hometown, a seventeen-
odd mix of relentless determination and easy-going charisma.
year-old Jesse saved up some money and moved to Los Angeles. It didn’t take long before the Internet introduced him to the right people.
“I grew up on jazz, acoustics, natural instruments,” Jesse says, though he always had a link to sounds outside the city. The Internet
“My career has been half digital, half street.” Jesse explains when
exposed him to the coastal rap that wasn’t really on the radio; it taught him
we ask him about landing the “Drop the World” gig via Twitter. “I’ve always
how to make a Neptunes beat; it showed him where to find a Timbaland
been an outside kid, and I’m a body language person. But the Internet
kick. So much so that when he first started dabbling in digital music—an
was just my gateway; it was like a phonebook to me with all the answers.
atypical choice for a New Orleans kid—he went for the synthetic, futuristic
The rest was my personality.” The connections that launched his production
aesthetic that was popular at the time. But now that he’s building his own
career were made on MySpace—it was there that Jesse met his frequent
sound, something to establish himself as an artist with lasting power—not
collaborator, LA-born producer Hit-Boy. Together they formed a local artist
just a producer or a rapper, but a relevant cultural entity—it turns out his
collective called the Surf Club, made some beats for Sean Kingston, and
hometown couldn’t help but shape his identity. “My focus now is soul, and
got the attention of producer Polow De Don (on MySpace). The next couple
to really have instruments in my music where I could have a band on stage
of years were spent earning their industry stripes at Polow’s Atlanta label,
with me from 1-15. I wanted to be able to take my music to the stage. That
producing records for the likes of Flo Rida, the Pussycat Dolls, and G-Unit.
was it man, I just wanted performance.” It’s like Jesse said, his career can
It’s now four years since Chase N. Cashe left Atlanta to go
only be half digital. The rest is personality.
indie with the Surf Club in LA, and he’s onto the third rung of a ladder
text REBECA ARANGO photo BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ grooming BARBARA YNIGUEZ
IN CONVERSATION:
FRANKI
CHAN Back when Mark Hunter was only a run-of-the-mill garden snake; Steve Aoki couldn’t afford to pour all his vodka down stranger’s throats; and few self-respecting indie kids would be caught dead dancing to “techno,” an aspiring illustrator named Franki Chan arrived in LA with nothing but a thousand dollars and the car he drove down in. Back in Seattle, Franki’s livelihood had revolved around the club in which he lived and worked. By day, he booked the bands; by night, he manned the door or the bar; and by late-night, he DJ’d after-hours parties in his upstairs apartment. Abandoning all that for Los Angeles, the dream was to make comic books. But six months in, the reality was running Fucking Awesome!, the weekly dance party that preempted the dawn of EDM and melted a bunch of style-minded music scenes into the cultural blob we now identify as the hipster. Today, Franki is busy running the multi-platform, music-focused media company I Heart Comix and producing the cross-genre Echoplex party series Check Yo Ponytail 2. We met up with Franki a few doors down from his Echo Park HQ to get his take on where the scene is headed next.
photo CAESAR SEBASTIAN illustration FRANKI CHAN
19 SO WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE NEXT BIG THING? In 2013, you’re going to see a lot of hip-hop. It’ll start to get that energy back that it had in 2001-2005, when Justin Timberlake and Eve and 50 Cent were putting out all those summer hits and you were like, yes, I love every song! Now there’s a whole new generation of hip-hop artists—A$AP Rocky, Danny Brown, Trinidad James—who are drawing a lot from the underground; they’re like a hybrid of the underground and Top 40. I don’t think EDM is going anywhere, but it’s not always going to be the thing of the moment. I also think you’re going to see a lot less people who are just musicians, and more artists who use every kind of media at once. We live in a world where, if I wanted to make a music video right now, I could record the music, film, edit, and upload the HOW HAS THE SCENE IN LA CHANGED SINCE YOU STARTED FUCKING AWESOME!
video, all with my iPhone—today. People from my generation learned how to
AND I HEART COMIX?
do those things individually, but now you have a generation of people learning
The scene has only grown, and I feel like right now, LA is one of the most
to do those things simultaneously. And that will apply to not only individual
exciting places to be as far as new music and parties. But since it’s a lot bigger
artists, but to brands, corporations, and marketing. That’s the future.
now, it’s also a lot more segregated. Those parties were all about creating something really new and really unified. There were punk rock kids dancing
BUT WHAT DO YOU THINK THE REVENUE STREAMS FOR THIS NEW BREED OF
to Top 40 hits, and we were bringing in DJs when electronic music was kind
ARTIST WILL BE?
of new, and having people from bands DJ—like someone from the Yeah Yeah
All of those things are still being built. People are just starting to get paid for their
Yeahs or Death Cab. And you can pretty much go down the list of every single
YouTube views. Entire companies are being built that are dedicated to distributing
person who was at those parties, and they’re in LA running shit now.
royalties from streams. The Internet isn’t that old; it’s been used on a commercial level for less than two decades. We’re still tearing down the walls of the old system
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE FIRST RUN OF CHECK YO PONYTAIL?
and just putting down the building blocks for what’s next. I’m actually really excited
The purpose of Check Yo has always been to break what’s next, and that’s been
to be alive right now and be able to lay down some of those bricks.
both a blessing and a curse, because Check Yo was never meant to grow. We started in late 2006 when the first wave of dance music was coming back, and
SO YOU’RE OPTIMISTIC?
we brought in most of the artists who are playing huge festivals nowadays—Diplo,
Don’t get me wrong, I think that corporations and the government are trying
Justice, Boys Noize. But after a year and a half of that wave, we ran out of artists,
to fuck us out of all of it. But we have so much more power now than anyone
because eventually they outgrew the size of what we were trying to do. That was
has ever had. We don’t have to riot in the streets, we just have to write a tweet.
a big reason why we stopped in 2008. We didn’t want to keep doing the same
Having that kind of access is very powerful.
thing and we didn’t want to book artists who weren’t up to the caliber that we WHAT’S NEXT FOR I HEART COMIX, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS WORKING ON?
were used to. I’d rather end on a high note.
Our main thing that we’re doing right now is South by Southwest. Last year, WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO BRING IT BACK? HOW IS IT DIFFERENT?
Emo’s East and Beauty Ballroom hired us to program all three days. We
This time, there have been explosions in a lot of different scenes—hip-
created a mini festival that was free and all ages, and brought in a bunch
hop, dance, punk-rock—all at once, and there are a lot of artists who exist
of our friends’ brands—like Mad Decent, Fool’s Gold, Polyvinyl—to help
somewhere in the middle, who are taking a few different genres and mixing
curate their own parties. This year we’re doing it again even bigger. I hope
them, or who look one way but play another. It’s opened up a lot of possibilities
it presents a challenge to SXSW and what I think that environment could be.
for what we can do. But again, it’s getting more difficult. A lot of the music
Our shows are run by a really good staff with really good sound, the bands
that we’ve been chasing is starting to break through, and there are a lot more
are being paid, and everyone that wants to can get in. As a band, you’ll
people trying to do what we’ve been doing. We have to get artists really early on
probably have much better press and sponsor exposure because our shows
or they skip over us, because the bigger dogs like Live Nation and Goldenvoice
are more concentrated. Maybe it’s not a huge difference, but it’s one shade
know they can make money off of them.
in the direction that I think things should go.
IHEARTCOMIX.COM CHECKYOPONYTAIL.COM
20
BOILING POINT text + photo REBECA ARANGO
ONLINE NIGHTCLUB PHENOMENON BOILER ROOM EXPLODES FROM THE UNDERGROUND WITH PLANS TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD The inaugural broadcast of Boiler Room was originally scheduled
wall to snap pictures of LA’s own Classixx at their Boiler Room debut. Several
for an actual boiler room—a neglected old chamber in the basement of an
people are eagerly positioning themselves in frame, trying out their freakiest
East London warehouse founder Blaise Belville was leasing at the time. Sadly,
dance-moves for the kids at home and waving hi to mom. Suddenly it’s clear: Boiler
asbestos had already annexed the territory into its stinky underworld, and
Room is American Bandstand for the post-Dubstep generation. Though as Blaise tells it, in its first two years the fledgling project
Blaise had to find someplace more hospitable, though equally derelict. Easily enough, there was the exposed-brick-and-paint-chipped
survived largely thanks to its appeal to artists. “It was their first time in
space upstairs, which served as headquarters for Blaise’s various hustles,
an atmosphere that wasn’t a traditional radio station, or a nightclub with
including his music blog Platform. Always restless for yet another project,
hundreds of random people, where they could play whatever they wanted
he planned to invite some DJ friends over each week to record mixes in an
and not really bother about trying to appease people.” London labels like
atypically low-key environment: one where they could have a drink, a smoke,
Young Turks jumped in to curate nights, quickly turning Boiler Room into a
and bring some friends around. But that was the height of expectations.
rite of passage for new electronic artists. By March 2011, they had moved
“I didn’t even think it was going to be cool,” Blaise tells LAC on
into a larger space, hosted James Blake and Jamie XX at the height of their
the phone from London. “I thought we were going to call it ‘Office Jam’ or
popularity, and watched viewership explode to twenty or thirty thousand a night.
something stupid—because it was our office.” That first Tuesday night, the
Granted the Boiler Room model remains tied to the underground,
office accommodated an intimate party of four, while about fifty-to-a-hundred
rooted in pirate radio culture, and supposedly free from commercial
friends tuned in on Ustream to watch founding DJs Thristan and Sammy
pressures, on a scale plotting relevance to the zeitgeist (EDM), taste-making
perform for a webcam taped to the wall.
authority, and name recognition, it’s rapidly swelling into the shoes once worn
Four years and thirteen million YouTube views later, we arrive at the
by Bandstand and more recently, TRL. Today, teams on the ground in Berlin,
Innovative Leisure offices in Eagle Rock to find a much more elaborate set-up.
London, New York and Los Angeles are broadcasting about forty shows a
V
Cleared by a girl with a platinum-blonde pixie-cut and a clipboard, we weave
month, with immediate plans to infiltrate Tokyo as well.
E
our way through a loose crowd of over a hundred people strangely attracted
And the global takeover won’t end there. Blaise explains that the idea
N
to some sort of guerilla sound-stage. There are at least two legitimate-looking
is to remain footloose and low budget enough to go wherever the music takes
U
cameras on tripods and a professional-grade gaff job funneling wires into
them. “We want to be the world’s most comprehensive music discovery channel.
E
an impressive command post. Young AV guys in button-downs dart around
We’re starting to make moves in the US, but the picture will only be complete
importantly, giving us the side-eye as we monopolize space behind the fourth
once we’ve covered all the bases.” Same thing we do every night, Pinky.
BOILERROOM.TV
TEGAN AND SARA
IN STORES EVERYWHERE
six
soundsmiths
to watch TODAY’S FRESH CROP OF PRODUCER-MUSICIANS HAVE AN INFINITE PALETTE OF SOUNDS AT THEIR FINGERTIPS, ALLOWING THEM THE FREEDOM TO CREATE ALMOST ANYTHING THEY DREAM UP. TO GET AN ABSTRACT PICTURE OF WHAT THOSE DREAMS ARE MADE OF, LA CANVAS PRIED INTO THE HEADS OF SOME OF OUR FAVORITE UP-AND-COMING SOUNDSMITHS. READ ON FOR A BIT OF SYNESTHETIC MADNESS.
text + interviews MEGAN LABER
Not many electronic artists are making a bigger splash than Australian beatmaker Harley Streten, better known as Flume. The 21-year-old Sydney native has been obsessed with making sounds since finding a music production program in a cereal box at the age of thirteen. Recently, he’s become internationally renowned as the up and coming beat boy to look out for. His mix of soulful vocal tracks, futuristic synths, and trippy rhythms combine into something purely creative.
ASIDE FROM MUSICAL INFLUENCES, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SOUND? Studio time really gets to you after awhile. When I want to clear my head I go surfing. It helps with ideas, and after I feel ready to keep working on a track. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A COLOR (OR A COMBINATION OF COLORS) WHAT WOULD IT BE? I think it would be a mix of purple, black, and white. IF YOU COULD COMPOSE THE SOUNDTRACK TO ANY FILM... I’ve always loved the idea of producing a film or tracks for a film. If I could, I would do sounds for a Sci-Fi film like Tron, Blade Runner, or the Fifth Element. WHAT DO YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE DOING TO YOUR MUSIC? Well, people tag me a lot on Instagram when they are taking road trips, so I guess I make good tracks for that. Also, a lot of people come up to me at shows and say they like to have sex to my music. TELL US ABOUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU’VE EVER SAMPLED, OR THE COOLEST SOUND YOU’VE EVER CREATED. I think the coolest sound I’ve ever sampled would have to be when I recorded myself slapping my girlfriend’s ass. It made one of the tracks as the beat. YOUR FAVORITE SOUND FROM EVERYDAY LIFE? LEAST FAVORITE? I really like the sound of something hitting a wall. That thwack noise it makes is great. My least favorite noise would have to be that bell that goes off when you enter the 24-hour stores. Those things drive me crazy. WHAT TUNE CONSTANTLY GETS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD? I’d say right now it is “Destiny” by John Talabot. That track is really good. HOW DO YOU RECREATE YOUR SOUND FOR LIVE SHOWS? I use a lot of midi clips and audio clips. It’s somewhere
01 / flume
between a live set and a DJ sort of thing. There are parts I play live. I also use my launch pad a ton. WHAT’S THE BEST SOUNDING ROOM OR VENUE YOU’VE EVER PERFORMED IN? Definitely Gretchen in Berlin. That was a great space. WHAT’S NEXT FOR YOU? I’m working on this live show with a massive infinity mirror. It has six screens in hexagonal shape and a mirror on the back, which makes it look like a long tube. We are hauling this
photo WILK FLUMEMUSIC.COM
massive thing to our Australia shows. We are also prepping for the U.S. tour coming up as well as SXSW.
02 / young adults Young Adults is an LA-based artist collective and record label. Their nu-house compilations feature work from the likes of androgynous Suzanne Kraft, Montreal duo Grown Folk, and many more. Leeor Brown and David Fisher, aka DJs Lazy Brown and Deep Body, launched the label as a hub for similar-sounding artists looking for a place to release their latest tracks. The enterprise is an evolution of the Friend of Friends label, with an increased focus on getting people to the dance floor. We chatted with the brains behind the operation to find out more about their particular aesthetic. ASIDE FROM MUSICAL INFLUENCES, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SOUND?
WHAT DO YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE DOING TO YOUR MUSIC?
The sun, the moon, PCH with the top down, Palm Springs, industrial
Dropping down and getting their eagle on.
zones, comfort foods, altered states and disco balls. YOUR FAVORITE SOUND FROM EVERYDAY LIFE? LEAST FAVORITE? IF YOUR SOUND WERE A COLOR (OR A COMBINATION OF COLORS) WHAT
Always a sucker for nature sounds, but can’t stand the alarm clock.
WOULD IT BE?
Used to have a nature sound alarm clock. I was very conflicted
Mostly muted earth tones and burnt sky fades; muddled green, charred
each morning.
orange, a dash of purp and we’re cookin’. WHAT TUNE CONSTANTLY GETS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD? IF YOUR SOUND WERE A PERSON, CREATURE, OR IMAGINARY CHARACTER,
“I don’t have State Farm… but insurance find me moneyyyyy.”
WHO WOULD IT BE? OR WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? Jessica Rabbit.
HOW DO YOU RECREATE YOUR SOUND FOR LIVE SHOWS? Vinyl only, no filler, all killer.
photo NON STOP RECORD YOUNGADULTS.US
03 / shlohmo
Aside from mixing muffled voices and heavy bass under the solo moniker Shlohmo, Henry Laufer is pretty busy for a 21-year-old producer. When he’s not working on his own tracks, he’s partly running the artist collective WEDIDIT, a community filled with underground electronic hopefuls with tons of talent to spare. His latest EP Laid Out is filled with hypnotic drum machines and hiccupping synth noises. Sound too familiar? Take a listen and learn that there are still fresh ways to spin it.
ASIDE FROM MUSICAL INFLUENCES, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SOUND? Imagery, movies, lights, objects, and a lot of indescribable feelings. It’s those feelings that you can’t really describe. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A COLOR (OR A COMBINATION OF COLORS) WHAT WOULD IT BE? Black, or more like matte black. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A PERSON, CREATURE, OR IMAGINARY CHARACTER, WHO WOULD IT BE? OR WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? A small rock that’s alone forever, but you can’t tell anyone about it. IF YOU COULD COMPOSE THE SOUNDTRACK TO ANY FILM... I’d really like to do The Snowtown Murders. I would do something really pleasant to contrast the horror on screen. I love when films have that joyful music contrasting with the content. WHAT DO YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE DOING TO YOUR MUSIC? Everything. It’s very easy “life” music. People told me they have sex to my music. I don’t like to imagine that per say, but other than that, I like to imagine people walking through the snow. Maybe lying on the ground and thinking about cottage cheese feelings. TELL US ABOUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU’VE EVER SAMPLED, OR THE COOLEST SOUND YOU’VE EVER CREATED. Foley stuff, like a chord half-stuck in the outlet so there is super heavy static feedback. I love recording the noise that it makes coming from the speakers and using that as the bass for a track. YOUR FAVORITE SOUND FROM EVERYDAY LIFE? LEAST FAVORITE? The sound of metal fittings that clink when they come together would be one of my favorites. My least favorite is the sound my phone makes when I get a new text message. WHAT TUNE CONSTANTLY GETS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD? Right now the only song is the new Drake track, “Started From The Bottom.” HOW DO YOU RECREATE YOUR SOUND FOR LIVE SHOWS? I’m usually in more of a party setting, so I kind of want to cater to having fun as opposed to lying down. Whatever the crowd is feeling is how I turn my set. WHAT’S THE BEST SOUNDING ROOM OR VENUE YOU’VE EVER PERFORMED IN? I’m a really bad judge of that. I love when the bass is really loud, so that said I don’t really know. There is this place called 1015 Folsum in San Francisco that just shakes your face when the bass is loud enough. WHAT TOOL, INSTRUMENT, SOFTWARE OR INNOVATION (IF ANY) IS INDISPENSABLE TO YOUR SOUND? Ableton is essential.
photo SUSBOY SHLOHMO.COM
04 / buke & gase Brooklyn-based team Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez make up the eclectic experimental instrument group known as Buke & Gase. With tools like an electric ukulele and a guitar-bass mutation, the duo is trying, and succeeding, at being innovative. Just when we thought we had heard it all from the many electronic experimenters, Buke and Gase arrived with a sound that mixes electro and prog-rock with a dash of post-punk. And we’re pretty sure that doesn’t even begin to cover their unique nature.
ASIDE FROM MUSICAL INFLUENCES, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SOUND? ARONE: Everything. We have such a curiosity when it comes to sound. We try to reach for the unattainable and push our own concepts on what is an attractive sound. For example, we use the kick drum. It’s kind of a bland instrument on it’s own. But when you add the rattle of the snare drum it becomes much more interesting. We just love experimenting with new unique sound patterns. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A COLOR (OR A COMBINATION OF COLORS) WHAT WOULD IT BE? ARONE: It would be this sort of multi-layer painting that would be covering this original painting. The first layer going over the original would have a lot of dark browns with broad lines that are muddled. Then there would be a lot of yellows, blues, pinks, and greens. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A PERSON, CREATURE, OR IMAGINARY CHARACTER, WHO WOULD IT BE? OR WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? ARONE: It would be this odd mixture of a terrible mermaid with some type of dragon-like head. It would be this crazy mutated animal, and there would have to be scales. YOUR FAVORITE SOUND FROM EVERYDAY LIFE? ARONE: Aron really likes the sound of clicking old switches. I like the breeze through the trees, but on a hot summer day. That’s a really nice sound. HOW DO YOU RECREATE YOUR SOUND FOR LIVE SHOWS? ARONE: The premise of our live acts is to pull off the things we have in our recordings live. We use all our limbs in the process, and it’s pretty tiring. WHAT’S THE BEST SOUNDING ROOM OR VENUE YOU’VE EVER PERFORMED IN? ARONE: There has been no “best” venue, but our practice space sounds really good. The Echo and Bowery Ballroom were both pretty great. We just played Montreal and loved it. WHAT TOOL, INSTRUMENT, SOFTWARE OR INNOVATION (IF ANY) IS INDISPENSABLE TO YOUR SOUND? ARONE: Aron’s face…and voice. There are a whole bunch of things.
photo GRANT CORNETT BUKEANDGASE.COM
05 / the cyclist Northern Ireland tape-throbber Andrew Morrison, aka The Cyclist, walks the line between analog and digital. Best known for using a thirty-dollar keyboard to lay down his tracks, Morrison’s music echoes early house without discarding the high-quality depth and complexity of modern electronica. His debut LP Bones in Motion drops March 26th on Stones Throw. It’s a full album’s worth of Morrison’s signature post-punk-inflected dream-techno—perfect for all our moodiest late night listening sessions. ASIDE FROM MUSICAL INFLUENCES, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SOUND? First and foremost, I’ve got to say film. Not just because of the amazing experimentation you see in some soundtracks, but in the images that stay with you. Like the starting run in A Touch Of Evil, or maybe some of the darker scenes in THX 1138, and 2001:A Space Odyssey and anything Stanley Kubrick. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A COLOR (OR A COMBINATION OF COLORS) WHAT WOULD IT BE? Hmmm…I’d say a swirling mix of deep blue and yellow-orange, at least that’s what I envision when I close my eyes to it. IF YOUR SOUND WERE A PERSON, CREATURE, OR IMAGINARY CHARACTER, WHO WOULD IT BE? OR WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? A very inebriated and unintelligible Hunter S. Thompson. IF YOU COULD COMPOSE THE SOUNDTRACK TO ANY FILM... 2001: A Space Odyssey . Sci-Fi isn’t exactly my favorite genre, but this film has so many beautiful sparse scenes that you could do so much with the sound to go along with it. WHAT DO YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE DOING TO YOUR MUSIC? I always picture people dancing, mostly in dingy rave clubs, where the only
WHAT TUNE CONSTANTLY GETS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD?
nice looking bit is the light shows. I really see those people going at it though,
“Thief” by Can has stayed consistently in my head over time. Proper heartfelt
all the flailing around, really losing themselves.
tune, the guys voice is just so strained throughout, unforgettable.
TELL US ABOUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU’VE EVER SAMPLED, OR THE
HOW DO YOU RECREATE YOUR SOUND FOR LIVE SHOWS?
COOLEST SOUND YOU’VE EVER CREATED?
Currently, I’m using an Akai APC40 with Ableton to sequence and cover
On the track “Visions,” there’s this odd cymbal sound throughout the track.
audio with effects.
This actually came from the springs inside an old battered £50 Stratocaster I’d had. I was hitting them with the wooden side of a violin bow and recorded
WHAT’S THE BEST SOUNDING ROOM OR VENUE YOU’VE EVER PERFORMED IN?
this onto a 4-track cassette using the microphone of a guitar tuner.
Well I’m going to have to say my bedroom, seeing as my first shows are going to be in March, throughout the U.K.
YOUR FAVORITE SOUND FROM EVERYDAY LIFE? LEAST FAVORITE? My favorite sound would probably the oscillating sound of the bus engines, when
WHAT TOOL, INSTRUMENT, SOFTWARE OR INNOVATION (IF ANY) IS INDISPENSABLE
you sit at the back of the bus at night. Least favorite—it’d have to be chalk on
TO YOUR SOUND?
blackboard, can’t stand it. I’m just one of those people who find it complete
It’s got to be magnetic tape. It’s obviously not a very modern tool, but it has a lot
torture, though now that I think of it, I’m probably going to have to sample that now.
of very interesting characteristics. It’s just so easy to mess with and get creative.
photo SHAUN BLOODWORTH CYCLISTMUSIC.COM
06 / poolside Danish-born Filip Nikolic and San Franciscan Jeffery Paradise are the brains behind chilled-out groove machine Poolside. They found each other in LA and worked on very different, separate projects before finally joining forces to create what some have dubbed “daytime disco.” See them live and you’d have to agree. Their energy and sound, much like their popular rendition of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” is mellow and smooth with a dose of vintage funk, lending itself to lounging poolside at some 70’s motel in the afternoon. We caught up with Filip Nikolic to further deconstruct the formula.
ASIDE FROM MUSICAL INFLUENCES, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR SOUND?
TELL US ABOUT THE MOST INTERESTING THING YOU’VE EVER SAMPLED, OR THE
We get inspired a lot by our surroundings, hikes through the local spots,
COOLEST SOUND YOU’VE EVER CREATED?
hanging by the pool, etc. Also Mezcal and wine gets us going really well.
For “Off My Mind” we used an old synth to make ocean wave sounds. It’s just a noise generator with a hand swept filter but a lot of people think that we
IF YOUR SOUND WERE A COLOR (OR A COMBINATION OF COLORS) WHAT WOULD IT BE?
actually recorded the real ocean.
Right now it’s definitely electric cyan! WHAT TUNE CONSTANTLY GETS STUCK IN YOUR HEAD? IF YOUR SOUND WERE A PERSON, CREATURE, OR IMAGINARY CHARACTER, WHO
Recently it has been Twin Shadow’s “Golden Light”—luckily it’s a great song.
WOULD IT BE? OR WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE? It would be a creature made out of slow moving water and he would gently be
WHAT’S THE BEST SOUNDING ROOM OR VENUE YOU’VE EVER PERFORMED IN?
petting our feet…
With Poolside, I think it has to be First Avenue and 7th Street Entry in Minneapolis or Lincoln Hall in Chicago
IF YOU COULD COMPOSE THE SOUNDTRACK TO ANY FILM... WHAT
I have no idea. Maybe Cocktail with Tom Cruise?
TOOL,
INSTRUMENT,
SOFTWARE
OR
INNOVATION
(IF
ANY)
IS
INDISPENSABLE TO YOUR SOUND? WHAT DO YOU IMAGINE PEOPLE DOING TO YOUR MUSIC?
I couldn’t do without my computer and my giant box of random percussion. And
Either relaxing in a nice chill environment or day dreaming about relaxing in
my broken Casio CZ-1000 is our “secret weapon”.
a nice chill environment.
POOLSIDEMUSIC.COM
IMAGINED M TO M TO MAGNIFICENT Our design-geek jaws hit the floor when we discovered legendary design duo M/M Paris was releasing a retrospective book. With over 1,000 illustrations of some of the designers’ most impressive projects, exhibition photographs, and some killer interviews with their closest collaborators like Bjork and Pierre Huyghe, M to M of M/M Paris is filled to the brim with everything our little designer hearts could want. MMPARIS.COM
STACK ATTACK For those of you still weeping over Instagram’s new privacy policy, let’s get real. Nobody really wants that Earlybird-filtered image of what you ate for lunch. But if you’re still vying for a replacement and seriously need a new fix of checking-in-liking-sharing-commenting-networking-all-around-social-media-thugging, perhaps you might have more fun with ArtStack. Geared toward the art lovers of cyberspace, the new app allows you to collect art you love, “stack” it to your profile, and share it with your fellow stackers. (Some of who happen to be heavy-hitters in the art and museum world.) Sorry Instagram, we can’t be monogamous. THEARTSTACK.COM
BEAT THIS Our love-hate relationship with online craft market Etsy just got a little more obsessive. We stumbled into LA-based artist Angela Rossi’s whimsical storefront, Beat Up Creations, and it’s taken all of our strength not to overstay our welcome (truthfully, we just ran out of money). Rossi transforms antique, stuffy, baroqueinspired plates and turns them into a hipster’s dream dinnerware set, mixing ornate details with portraits of the most unusual kind. A plate of Marie Antoinette as a cyborg? She’s got ‘em. Patti Smith decked in florals? Done. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but we did just score a plate of a Walking Dead-inspired zombie child salivating blood (yeah, we went there). Martha Stewart, eat your heart out. BEATUPCREATIONS.COM
STREET ART
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photos provided by ERIN MITCHELL // LOSTANGELESSTREETART.TUMBLR.COM LA STREET ART GALLERY // LASTREETARTGALLERY.COM
GALLERY OPENINGS DEVNGOSHA: PRESSURE Soze Gallery March 1st, 2013 Opening: March 1st, 7 - 10 pm From the collective brain of Devin Liston and Gosha Levochkin comes “Pressure,” the first show for the duo that explores the perils and insanity of modern society. DevNGosha delve deep into the social, psychological, and spiritual nature of our very human methods of internalizing pressure through strong visual narratives. sozegallery.com BILL SOSIN: PROPER SOULS dnj Gallery March 2nd – April 13th, 2013 Opening: March 2nd, 6 - 8 pm Self-taught photographer Bill Sosin explores the Chicago landscape through gloomy car windows. By employing photographic techniques and inverting colors, Sosin successfully manipulates and abstracts silhouettes and landscapes, creating a dark and energetic series of images. dnjgallery.net
MIKE BRODIE: A PERIOD OF JUVENILE PROSPERITY M + B Gallery March 16th - May 11th, 2013 Opening: March 16th, 6 - 9 pm Dubbed “the Polaroid Kidd,” Brodie’s new exhibition explores his compulsive documentation of American subcultures as he hitches his way aboard trains across the United States. Brodie has amassed an enormous collection of striking images in the tradition of photographers like Robert Frank, William Eggleston and Stephen Shore. mbart.com JOHN CHIARA: LOS ANGELES Rose Gallery Mar 23rd - May 11th, 2013 Opening: March 23rd, 6 pm John Chiara presents a new landscape of Los Angeles, one of inscrutable sculpture and metallic photography that’s full of mystery and alchemical beauty. Chiara uses a camera obscura to produce and develop his landscape images on large sheets of thin metal that he then frames to hang on the wall. rosegallery.net
TRISHA BROWN: FLOOR OF THE FOREST Hammer Museum March 30th, 2013 - April 21st, 2013 Artist Performance: Thursday – Sunday of each week “Floor of the Forest” consists of a sculptural steel frame holding up a web of ropes that have been threaded with colorful used clothing. Climbing onto the apparatus, two dancers weave their way across the structure by putting on and then taking off the clothing, occasionally pausing to allow gravity to pull their bodies toward the floor while the clothing acts as a cocoon or hammock. hammer.ucla.edu MEGGS: HEAVENLY CREATURES Thinkspace Gallery April 6th, 2013 - April 27th, 2013 Opening: April 6th, 6 - 9pm Fusing elements of contemporary beauty into abstract forms,“Heavenly Creatures” is a collection of new paintings, collage, sculpture and mixed media artworks that expressively reference the physical and ideological duality of self. thinkspacegallery.com
STEPHEN TOMPKINS Soze Gallery April 19th Opening: Saturday, April 19th, 7 - 10 pm Tompkins’ paintings, drawings, and animated videos employ the familiar iconography of animated cartoons and comic books in order to explore the fragmented subjectivities and cultural schizophrenia of our post-modern society. His work aims to formulate a new way of exposing the continually shifting cultural conventions that impose themselves on the individual, while revealing new associations with the unconscious and the subliminal. sozegallery.com URS FISCHER The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MoCA) April 21st - August 19, 2013 MoCA will present the first comprehensive museum retrospective of works by the internationally acclaimed Swiss-born artist Urs Fischer. Urs Fischer’s super spectacle art show will take over the space’s entire 65,000 square feet, portraying his traditional combination of daring formal adventures in space, scale, and material with a mordant sense of humor. www.moca.org
GET MORE OF LA’S BEST OPENINGS AT LACANVAS.COM
TKTKTKTKTKTK
text ARJUNA NEUMAN photo RACHEL MANY
A
SPARK
OF
LUCK
LUCKY DRAGONS CHANNEL THE UNIFYING SPIRIT OF SOUND
“On Buckminster Fuller’s grave it says, ‘call me trimtab…’”
instrument—inviting strangers to touch each other. Through an inclusive and
“How do you spell that?”
co-dependent method for producing music, the fourth wall of the concert hall
Luke replies, “Just as it sounds – T-R-I-M-T-A-B – it’s not quite the
had not only been broken, but taken out back and given away on freecycle.
rudder of a ship, but the tiny trim on a rudder, like the rudder’s rudder…” “…It’s so small but it can completely change the course of the
As an echo of unity, their music and sound art rings deeply human, even as they use electronic devices and computers to make much of their work. It’s not about the expression of one genius, or even two; rather,
ship,” Sarah continues. Lucky Dragons, the LA based sound art collective of Luke
their soundscapes and performances are meant to connect with the soul
Fischbeck and Sarah Rara, seem to talk like this, in partially explained
of the group. Or, to put it more mystically, the souls of the audience are
metaphors and curious allegories that set you thinking. Their name is
threaded together with sound. This is the goal of their art, to create the
another one of these ambiguities: It sounds like a Chinese restaurant, but is
favorable conditions in which a spark might be lit.
in fact taken from a Japanese fishing boat that got caught in the radioactive
And the conditions are replicated through another, entirely non-
fallout of a US nuclear bomb test in the South Pacific. This event galvanized
commercial medium. As the name suggests, Luke and Sarah’s Sumi Ink Club
a yet-to-be voiced force in the Japanese people, who suddenly had a lot to
meets weekly to create one collective drawing in Sumi Ink, with all ages, all
say about nuclear weaponry. Luke explains that there had been practically
humans, and all styles welcomed. The club has mushroomed around the
no protests in the eight years following the first two atomic detonations the
world, since by definition it’s not proprietary or exclusive. All you have to
US had unleashed on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sarah explains that suddenly
do to start your own club is follow a few simple rules, such as using certain
this small event, the death of the Lucky Dragons’ fishing boat crew, catalyzed
brushes and ensuring the drawings are never owned. It’s a model that takes
something that had been there all along.
after the collective commons and one that proposes the right of information
It’s the possibility of igniting a big change with a small spark
to be free in black and white.
that gets Sarah and Luke excited. It’s a certain politics, not the Washington
More recently, Sarah and Luke have removed the audience
kind, but a quiet activism concerned with human rights, environmental
participation part from their performances, while still mining the political
rights and information rights. Ultimately, a belief that a better world
potential of collective experiences. This may be a sign that Lucky Dragons are
requires recognition of human interconnectedness seems to be the thread
maturing. They tell me that they are returning to the stage, that they are trying
that ties all of their activities together.
to do what they have always done, but with the music alone, with craft. It could
Early Lucky Dragons performances constructed this positive
almost seem like a leap backwards, back into a hierarchical model of performer
social environment literally, in a physical way. Audience members would
above audience, a society in rank. But this isn’t their intention; it’s more like
be invited to contribute to the soundscape by interacting with each other
the ripening of an idea that no longer needs to be made literal. Or perhaps they
through an experimental computer-based instrument called “Make A Baby.”
have learned that the thread of collectivity exists at a metaphysical level first.
The contact of skin with skin would change the sounds produced by the
A level that might best be sparked with sound alone.
LUCKYDRAGONS.ORG VISIT LACANVAS.COM TO WATCH LUCKY DRAGONS LIVE AT THE ECHOPLEX
LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL
39
R&R GALLERY BUILDS A COMMUNITY FOR CLEVER LOCAL ART, MINUS THE PRETENTION AND PLUS ALL THE BEST PARTIES
text REBECA ARANGO photo RACHEL MANY “The thing about Salt Lake is that it has an amazing underground. But
tizzy, exudes mermaid-like serenity. “This place will be packed by 10 pm,”
after about ten or eleven years, I just had to get out of there,” explains Shane, a
says the soft-spoken redhead who teaches yoga at R&R on Tuesday nights,
furniture-designer and one of the R&R’s two in-house residents. We’re standing
nonchalantly adding, “We’re always running behind.”
in his home and workshop, a warehouse space that seems to tilt and zag like a
Raquel left Salt Lake City for LA in 2004, and met her artist/designer/
concrete funhouse, sliced up with makeshift divisions and open to an alleyway
director husband Kube shortly thereafter. In 2009, Kube and fellow Salt Lake
through an industrial-sized garage door. Tonight, the track lights are on duty, the
refugee/artist cw (who lives in the space with Shane) started the R&R as a network
bedrooms are locked up and there’s a supremely generous bartender behind a
of creatives committed to “staying human, having fun” and hosting exhibits that “put
folding table who’s filling cups to near capacity with two-buck chuck.
the art in party.” Each exhibit is always a potluck of work by friends and locals invited
It’s the opening of Space: An Intergalactic Collaboration, the first
to celebrate a theme that never takes itself too seriously (past favorites include Bill
show R&R has curated in the months since they moved from Suite 106 to the
Murray and the friendship between Willie Nelson and Snoop Lion). The prompts ask
much larger Suite 108 around the corner. With a Carl Sagan directive, the
artists to stray from their typical paths (a challenge rarely faced post-BFA), while
theme is rendered through a variety of mediums and approached from a web
diminishing the highbrow solo ego in favor of a playful community spirit.
of angles by a slew of local artists. There are gorgeous large-scale paintings
Over the course of the night, a pattern emerges. Nearly everyone
of a somber female astronaut; a black pyramid-chamber for meditation built
we meet has recently landed in Los Angeles via Salt Lake City, and they all
from energy-harnessing materials; a set of pen-and-ink drawings called
seem connected through one-or-two steps leading back to Kube or cw. But
“Entropy 1 & 2” that have been priced $112.35 after the Fibonacci sequence,
none of them are originally from Utah. In fact, it’s starting to sound like SLC is
and too many other fascinating things to possibly list here.
the lily-pad from which artistically-minded, California-bound Midwesterners
G
Starting and ending later than your typical two-hour gallery
must hop, a holding area of sorts, and that the city’s underground is in the
A
opening, people begin to slowly appear in the warehouse an hour after the
process of relocating to DTLA’s Arts District. Which is totally fine by us. If
L
advertised eight p.m. doors. At seven-fifty the space isn’t even ready yet, but
everyone back there was as friendly and dedicated to good-vibes as the fine
L
R&R’s business manager Raquel, who you’d expect to find in a pre-event
folk at R&R, then Shane was probably right to call it amazing.
E R Y
929 E 2ND ST #108 LOS ANGELES, CA 90012 THERANDR.ORG
COVETED MADE WITH LOVE Love is in the air with the debut of LOVE+MADE’s collection of fragrant soy flammables. The girlpower branding darlings have just introduced a quartet of scented candles for any mood: LOVE+SPELL, LOVE+SHINE, LOVE+LIGHT and LOVE+TIDE all come in a sleek black jar, perfect for any pre-spring spells you plan on casting, ‘cause you know, glass is much safer. LOVEMADE.BIGCARTEL.COM
AUDIO COUTURE Know that teenager on the train rocking Power 106 on his boombox who gives zero fucks about what you think? Admit it, there’s a significant part of you that’s jealous. Where is that 2 CHAINZ coming from? Um, not my clutch. Clandestine purse speakers from Newport-based Stellé Audio Couture make any moment sound so much better. STELLEAUDIO.COM
WHO’S THE MAN The G.P.P.R. man is described as “The gentleman—the philosopher—the pervert—the rebel.” Le swoon. From leopard military spec jackets to leather bombers to hats embroidered with “FUCK NOW, APOCAPLYPSE LATER,” we see why fashionistos like our dude Kendrick have been donning these guys. GPPR.US
photography RAYMOND MOLINAR photo assistants ANDREW ARTHUR & ALEXANDER SCHMIDT styling MARISSA PEDEN hair & makeup VERONICA NUNEZ male grooming FABIOLA MERCADO models HANNAH K & HANNAH R @ VISION MODELS LA / JACOB @ NEXT MODEL MANAGEMENT
ON HANNAH R hat by BRIXTON / watch by NIXON / jewelry by VANESSA MOONEY & CC SKYE / shirt stylist’s own / pants by MOTEL ROCKS
ON JACOB shirt by BARON WELLS/ pants by WESC / glasses by OLIVER PEOPLES
ON HANNAH K shirt by LAUREN MOFFAT / shorts stylist’s own /shoes by SENSO from SOLESTRUCK
ON JACOB shirt by BRIXTON / shirt stlyist’s own / pants by BARON WELLS / shoes by JD FISK from sOLESTRUCK.COM
ON HANNAH K top by MYNE / Shorts by RED VALENTINO / Shoes by MINIMARKET from sOLESTRUCK.COM
ON HANNAH R romper by RAQUEL ALLEGRA / socks by STANCE / Shoes by MIISTA from sOLESTRUCK.COM
ON HANNAH K top by BEC & BRIDGE / skateboard by GLOBE
ON HANNAH K sweater by LAUREN MOFFAT
ON HANNAH K sweater by LAUREN MOFFAT / shorts stylist’s own/ shoes by SENSO from SOLESTRUCK.COM
ON HANNAH R vest & pants vintage / ON JACOB shirt stylist’s own / ON HANNAH K top by BEC & BRIDGE
INTO THE WILD photographer HEATHER GILDROY model EMILY DRAKE jewelry B. LO JEWELRY
sPRiNG AWAKENING photography Carlos Nunez art direction Meagan Judkins production Samantha Silvers styling Monique Vatine models Melany Bennett @ FORD Taylor Zakhar @ VISION makeup Afton Williams hair Celeste Antoine
ON MELANY hat + shorts by RUNWAYDREAMZ shirt vintage boots by DOC MARTEN
OPPOSITE PAGE ON TAYLOR hat by RUNWAYDREAMZ shirt by BDG THIS PAGE ON MELANY jacket by RUNWAYDREAMZ top by MINIMALE-ANIMALE
ON MELANY jacket by RUNWAYDREAMZ hat by BDG jeans by J BRAND belt vintage ring vintage ON TAYLOR vest by RUNWAYDREAMZ hat by BDG shirt model's own
ACE HOTEL & SWIM CLUB PALM SPRINGS
L A FAS H ION H E ROI N ES BR I D GE T H E GA P BET W E E N E XCLUS I V I T Y A N D ACCES S I BI L I T Y As we punch in the door code and let ourselves through the cast iron gate to AGAIN’s devastatingly urban-chic headquarters in DTLA’s Arts District, Courtney Tuttle greets us with a warm hello and donuts. The business and branding-savvy half of the women’s contemporary label, Courtney is wearing a smartly-tailored, quilted black-and-white baroque suit that matches designer Amber Kekich-Purling’s all-black version from the upcoming Fall season. Courtney hollers for us to make ourselves comfortable as Amber helps perfect her cat-eye for the shoot. Two years and five seasons deep, it’s hard to believe the much hyped-womenswear line is still running on the power of two brains alone. It all started a year and a half ago, when UNIF designers Eric and Christine introduced Amber, a FIDM grad who cut her teeth designing denim for Rock and Republic, to sales manager Courtney, who came up working with cult LA streetwear brand Joyrich. Since then, we’ve seen AGAIN grace the pages of Vogue, Flaunt and WWD, and like so many collaborations, it has become its own organism, something unique to the duo’s partnership.
text ERIN DENNISON photo RACHEL MANY
Ethically produced in LA with remarkable attention to detail, Italian fabrics and expert tailoring, AGAIN pieces are unusual yet refined. And as it turns out, the secret to achieving both accessibility and exclusivity is the procurement of the right garment at the right price for the right retailer; in a word, selectivity. AGAIN’s dresses, skirts and pants are made for the girl who pays attention without obsessing; who seeks elegance but appreciates irregularity. She’s the girl who presents herself, not her image, who effortlessly wears the outfit you wish you thought of. These notions are at the crux of the brand’s innovative identity, which, when combined with quality production, propel the label to join the ranks of our underdog city’s fashion elite. As the reigning czar/king/queen/prince/princess of US fashion, New York has colored (in a de-saturated neutral) the landscape of the industry while casting a shadow over any conflicting paradigm. Fashion is notoriously akin to religion for New York, and is, fiscally speaking, what the entertainment industry is to Los Angeles. I’ll never forget a conversation I had with contemporary artist Zak Smith, who described a woman getting dressed in the morning as becoming who they want to be for that day. The appreciation of narrative and whimsy is embraced by Los Angeles, in lieu of the New Yorker’s mantra of effortless elegance. While one capitol embraces design and hierarchy, the other lifestyle and accessibility. And with the curious emergence of innovative LA design houses like Rodarte, Alexander Wang and Band of Outsiders, let the parallels be drawn between the bicoastal feud and the linear-slash-non-linear divide between Paris and London. (Yep. Said it.) The same youthful exuberance that’s fueled London’s irreverent new class of designers, like JW Anderson, Christopher Kane and Sarah Burton, can be felt throughout the ground-breaking collections of West Coats ingénues. And it’s in that same idiosyncratic vein that AGAIN has begun to find their niche. “I design the clothes, but Courtney has to hear the ‘no’s.’ At the same time, she’s selective and has no problem saying ‘No, this does not belong in your store,’” explains Amber. Courtney elaborates, “We want it sold, but we want the right fit—AGAIN isn’t for everybody” It’s the same principle that’s the secret to Ready-to-Wear darling, the Row, produced right here in Culver City. To avoid the sale rack, you have to discriminate. While buyers this SS13 market pleaded for color, Amber forged ahead with her neutral, yet feminine pallet of taupe, beige and plum. “After enough buyer feedback, sometimes you want to be like OKAY—here’s your fucking red.” But while going with one’s gut can cost you immediate numbers, integrity is the essential foundation on which the world’s most respected design-houses are built. Back at the showroom, thumbing through five seasons on the rack doesn’t get redundant, as each piece is unexpected, yet unmistakably AGAIN. The label has intuitively found a way to surprise the consumer within the context of an overall identity.
With genius subtlety, cleverness and a
healthy disregard for the status quo, AGAIN has architected an exquisite brand of timeless quirky-chic. And while, like London, LA has its share of chavy unicorn-fluffers, it’s the inherent price we pay for paradigm-shattering innovation. What we’re trying to say is, you can count AGAIN among the growing number of reasons to give a damn about LA fashion.
TA K E
IT FROM
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TOP
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TOPMAN OPENS AT THE GROVE, BRINGING WITH IT INDIE ENGLISH MENSWEAR DESIGNERS AND WATERCOLOR OWLS
nder Gordon Richardson’s creative directorship, Topman has
attained the rare balance of popular appeal and fashion credibility. Richardson may not have started out a sartorial warrior, but throughout his tenure, the former graphics student has virtually changed the high-street menswear landscape. His trajectory in the fashion world began by designing a children’s line for Burton, which eventually lead to taking over Topshop’s struggling brother company. Gordon has since almost single-handedly revived Topman, transforming the once floundering brand into an international force to be reckoned with, both in retail sales and industry prestige. By locating the niche between brand identity and progression, Gordon has found a way to make Topman both relevant and accessible, largely thanks to his collaborations with independent designers. Richardson’s brainchild MAN was born in 2005 as a platform for new menswear talent. An initiative between Topman and Fashion East, the show has since become a staple in London Fashion Week by showcasing three up-and-coming British designers under the umbrella of the retail empire. Since Agi & Sam’s debut at MAN in 2011, there have been whispers of a Topman collaboration on the horizon. “We’ve been watching these two talented young designers grow and mature over the past few seasons,” Gordon says of the 26-year-old design duo. Best known for their oddball whimsical prints and irreverent sense of humor, the independent line’s light-hearted approach to design has gained them a cult following in the London fashion scene, making them the perfect choice for the industry giant’s latest independent partnership. “Their aesthetic is very Topman, with clashing prints and a young silhouette that sits comfortably alongside our own ranges” The Topman x Agi & Sam collection blends the unlikely inspirations of watercolor owls and retro football* kits, rendering the collaboration no less bizarre than the designers’ main collections (their FW’12 showing starred massive M.C. Escher-inspired chickens). So who exactly is this collection for? “Someone who is probably creative” explains Agi, “who understands and appreciates craftsmanship, originality, but also knows himself quite well—so he’d be able to buy a printed jacket or something and style it well with other separates—rather than looking like an idiot.” Sam interjects, “What’s that joke we always use? A confident ladies-man with a slight alcohol problem. And who talks a little bit too closely in your ear...” Welcome to The Grove guys—we think you might just have an audience here in Los Angeles. *by football, we mean soccer
text ERIN DENNISON 189 THE GROVE DRIVE LOS ANGELES, CA 90036 US.TOPMAN.COM
21 QUES
TIONS:
JARED FRANK
O F TO P SY
DESIGN
Jared Frank is a spirited and stately postmodern gentleman with a perfectly manicured beard and the ability to keep his cream cashmere sweater pristine through a long night of debauchery. Floor-to-ceiling murals line his kooky Silverlake bungalow where he's been known to play host to deathmatch game nights.
The
filmmaker/production-designer/
prop-stylist is an aesthetic jack-of-all-trades, who seems to have mastered quite a few along the way.
As head-honcho for Topsy Design,
Frank is responsible for some of the most innovative interiors around the city—his latest being the contemporary menswear gem H. Lorenzo. Here’s to hoping he invites us over sooner than later.
SO WHAT’S UP? Oh you know just chilling at my parent's house.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ANYONE RIGHT NOW? Which is seriously so weird
I'm interested in everyone. And yes, that's a dodge.
now that I'm almost thirty, but I booked a gig designing an apartment back in Connecticut and the free housing was just too good to resist.
It's craze, I'm
DO ANYTHING FUN LAST NIGHT?
subletting my place in LA, making good money, and eating free food. I'm going
Last night was the Oscars, and by watching a bit of it, I think it's safe to say I
to celebrate in a couple weeks by going on my first real vacation in years. Cuba.
did nothing. It's hard to think of a bigger nothing than that show. What a waste.
CAN WE GET YOU SOMETHING TO DRINK?
HOW LATE DID YOU STAY UP?
Chamomile tea, please—it's pretty late and I'm a total addict.
Not late, I mean, I didn't even make it through to find out who won best picture. I just smoked a bowl and went to bed. But it did mean that I got up
WHAT ARE YOU WEARING?
early this morning and went to yoga, which is always a good thing.
Old button-up shirt, pajama pants, and these amazing grey woolen slipper socks my Dad bought me that match his. When I got home I was wearing
SNACKS OR MEALS?
these slippers my ex-girlfriend bought me that are all ratty with holes in them.
Only meals, no more snacks.
Guess they were some metaphor for the broken relationship, but my Dad saw me in them and next thing I know a package is arriving from Amazon with
HOW OFTEN DO YOU CONSUME ALCOHOL?
these amazing rag-wool leather soled booties, highly recommended.
I drink when I'm around other people. But when I’m alone I don't need to, same with cigarettes—just nervous social crutches.
http://www.amazon.com/ACORN-Unisex-Slipper-Sock-Large/dp/B000BMBPV0/ ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1361845812&sr=8-8&keywords=acorn+slippers
YOU KISSED A GIRL AND LIKED IT? Yes. I've also kinda disliked kissing girls and been fine with that too. Bad
ARE YOU SINGLE/TAKEN/HEARTBROKEN/BORED?
kissers are kind of a breath of fresh air, it's like, oh I can do ANYTHING. So
I was still wearing the slippers my ex bought me, so yeah, I'm single.
I tend to just make them suck my tongue. Like why not. Good kissers, like good dressers, demand that you up your game.
73
PLEASE DON’T TOUCH THAT.
WILL YOU TEXT THE PERSON YOU LIKE TODAY?
Sorry.
I've texted a few girls today. Not sure which one I like most. God in this interview I’m coming off as some sort of cocky slime-ball who lives with his
BLUE OR BLACK INK?
parents. To be clear, I have a job and a rad apartment in LA and I don't
Red. It makes everything I write seem like a critique.
normally just ask for tea upon waking. But there's just something so sordid about living with one's parents, it's like I want to break out my grandfather's
EVER SIT DOWN IN THE SHOWER?
binoculars and hide out behind the local high school.
I'm actually designing a shower right now with a tile seat built into it. It's sort
working everyday, I feel like a degenerate.
Even though I'm
of a two person L shaped shower. One end has a big rain head. The other end has a seat and a detachable showerhead. It's good for really hosing off
IF WE GAVE YOU $50, WHAT WOULD YOU BUY?
the feat. Or, I don't know, screwing.
I guess I'd buy you a drink.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU REALLY FROKE OUT ON SOMEONE?
LAST THREE GOOGLE SEARCHES?
I don't think I do that ever really. When I get upset I just get calmer, even
According to my history, seriously no joke, my last three Google searches
more rational. It's only when I’m feeling really free and happy that I freak out.
were The Magic Mountain, Blakiston's Fish Owl, and Museo Del Barrio. I
Freaking out should be a positive thing. Do it with someone, not at someone.
could try to explain, but instead I won't.
WHAT WAS THE FIRST THING YOU SAID ALOUD THIS MORNING?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING LATER?
"I want tea." Seriously. When your parents try to wake you up and you're
Reading about Cuba and then bed.
almost thirty you can just be like, "give me tea," and they go off and bring you back tea. It's kind of great.
CAN WE COME? Come to bed? Cuba? Well, yes please do.
ARE YOU LISTENING TO MUSIC RIGHT NOW? No music, mom's sleeping.
SCREAM AND SHOUT
75
OUR FAVORITE ITEMS THIS SPRING, AS DEMONSTRATED BY 7 TH GRADERS
T R E N D
After nearly a century of producing caps, New Era has undoubtedly become a household name. Whether on silhouette is instantly recognizable. But what you might not realize is the skillful attention to detail that goes into the construction of each and every fitted. “A lot of seams are actually hand-sewn, and a pair of human hands touches the hat every step of the way,� explains director of marketing, John Behling. LAC takes a closer look at the meticulous 22-step process that goes into crafting our beloved 5950s.
WWW.NEWERACAP.COM
Hours of Operation Lunch: Mon-Fri - 11:30am-2:30pm Dinner: Mon-Thurs 5pm-10pm | Fri 5pm-11pm Saturday: 5pm-11am Sunday: 5pm-10pm Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 7pm
PHONE: 213-621-9500
Hours of Operation Lunch: Monday - Friday, 11:30am -2:30pm Brunch: Saturday - Sunday, 11:30am - 3:00pm Happy Hour: Monday - Friday, 5pm - 7pm
241 S. San Pedro St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 LazyOxCanteen.com
PHONE: 213-626-5299
243 S. San Pedro St. Los Angeles, CA 90012 ToranokoLA.com
BITTEN N 00 BS WE LOVE HINOKI AND THE BIRD A storybook name befits David Myer’s whimsical new Century City restaurant, boasting an innovative menu of seafoodcentric Japani-fornian fusion. HINOKIANDTHEBIRD.COM FEED BODY & SOUL The haute locavore can now receive
KEEPING IT CAFFEINATED The magical brown bean that gives you life is nothing to be taken lightly. To maintain a premium supply of the freshest possible specimens, you can have them delivered from local roasters straight to your doorstep each month, thanks to the clever young tweakers at LA Coffee Club. Now...if only we could get a subscription for herbs. Oregano club, anyone? LACOFFEECLUB.COM
holistic nourishment from seven am to eleven pm at Venice’s latest sustainable/ organic/veggie-friendly eatery. FEEDBODYANDSOUL.COM ALUMETTE Echo Park’s former kitschy tapas joint Allston Yacht Club gets a chic second-life as a teak-paneled dining room for tasting
A WINE BAR GOES MICRO-BISTRO
Chef Miles Thompson’s seasonal cuisine. ALLUMETTELA.COM
Downtowners who entertain vague fantasies of European lifestyles should already be familiar with Mignon. This petite Historic Core wine bar is the ideal spot for catching up with an old friend or a good book over
RAMEKIN
warm bread and gourmet cheese. But to make things more interesting (and aromatic), Mignon has just
Not that the lava-cake from Domino’s is
introduced a nightly dinner menu of rustic French eats. Created by Papilles Chef Tim Carey, the simple,
entirely insufficient, but our sweet tooth
hearty dishes—braised short ribs, ptaé de campagne, macaroni gratin—are perfect for a casual solo meal
is already counting on this new baked-to-
or a no-fuss romantic dinner.
order dessert house in Los Feliz to satisfy
Insider’s Tip: A full evening’s worth of Happy Hour awaits you every Sunday starting at 6pm.
its whims and fancies.
WWW.MIGNONLA.COM
RAMEKINLA.COM
JUST AS SMELL FORESHADOWS TASTE, SOUND CAN BE A TELLING DIMENSION OF TEXTURE. AND WHEN IT COMES TO BAKING BREAD, ACHIEVING THE RIGHT CRACKLE AND SQUISH IS OFTEN AN ESSENTIAL INDICATOR OF EXCELLENCE. TO GET SOME INSIGHT INTO THE BUSINESS AND ART OF MAKING PERFECTLYTEXTURED BREAD, WE TURNED TO TWO CHEFS AT ONE OF OUR FAVORITE NEW SPOTS, MUDDY LEEK.
After seven years running a successful catering business, Chef Whitney Flood
TELL US ABOUT YOUR CRACKLIEST, BEST-SOUNDING BREAD.
and his wife Julie decided to open a brick-and-mortar eatery for their locally-
HOLDEN: We make this whole wheat bread with black sesame, quinoa, and
sourced cuisine. Sometimes boldly rich, often indefinable, and always full-
millet. It’s the house bread right now. It’s a two-day bread, I make a pre-
flavored, Flood’s approach to food is anything goes—as long as it’s in season,
ferment and I also add a little wheat germ and natural leaven, so it has a
affordable, and delicious. For the entirely in-house bread and pastry program,
nice tart finish, a little sour. We bake all our breads in a combi-oven, which
Flood enlisted his friend Chef Holden Burkons, who cut his sweet tooth at
can inject steam. If you read the Tartine bread book, [Chef Chad Robertson]
Tom Collichio’s Craft. LAC caught up with Whitney and Holden to talk about
talks about using two cast iron skillets on top of each other to capture the
what they’ve been up to in their new Culver City kitchen.
steam from the bread itself to make the crust more decadent and give it that crackling sound. With this, I can put the stone in the oven, wait for it to get to
CAN YOU TELL US A BIT ABOUT THE CONCEPT AT MUDDY LEEK?
about 450, and just sit there and inject steam for 15 minutes. That creates a
WHITNEY: The concept is to bring a more affordable approach to sourcing
really nice base. Then, I’ll be able to eject all the steam out in the last twenty
everything from local farmers. Really what I do is simple, some plates have
minutes, it becomes a hot dry oven at the end and it gives it a perfect crust.
four ingredients on them. Letting things speak for themselves is the whole idea. The menu changes weekly—whether something is out of season or we’re
WHITNEY: It’s just thin enough, and it’s not so crusty that you can’t chew it
just bored of making it. We have a few dishes on the menu that are all over the
or anything like that. We toast it up for our charcuterie plates, and we also
place. Rather than calling them fusion dishes, I would say they’re just about
serve it with our turkey banh mi. And we have an egg, roast bell pepper
taking flavors that we know and melding them together to create a dish that’s
and mushroom sandwich with cheese, it’s an open-faced sandwich that’s just
beautiful. We have a crab dish—it’s a Maryland-style lump-crab with harrissa,
melted on top of a big thick piece of toast.
which is a North African hot sauce, and papadam, which is an Indian cracker. Put the three together and they’re great: the textures are just right. Anything
HOLDEN: I also make a focaccia, I use a little bit of steam but it’s such a
goes as long as it works and it’s not too crazy.
moist, wet dough to begin with that it doesn’t really need that much, and you don’t want the crust to be too thick anyway.
HOLDEN: Whitney had very high expectations for the bread right away, and I came in one day after leaving Craft and just started making breads for him and
WHITNEY: The focaccia that he makes is epic, and it can take just about
doing the desserts. But this was my first opportunity to really focus on bread.
anything. We were doing it with olives for a lamb sandwich at one point, and
MUDDYLEEK.COM
we have a plain one, where the olive oil flavor comes out so well. And then
up a couple of days a week to pick up some wild fennel, milk thistle, things
we have one that we make with cumin—it’s just this surprise when you eat it!
like that. I’ll be using more raw ingredients—there’s nothing better than an ingredient presented in its natural state. Unless it’s a potato. The baby
WHAT’S THE PROCESS FOR CREATING BREAD THAT COMPLIMENTS THE FOOD?
pink turnips we’ve been getting are really fun. And there’s also this mustard
WHITNEY: With the cumin bread, it came from an idea for this Mahi Mahi
frill, it looks like frisee. It’s got this green flavor at first, and then this spicy
sandwich that’s almost Mexican in the way that it’s made. It’s got a chili
mustard on the back of your tongue. The spring lambs are coming in, so
emulsion, some pickled red onions, some radish. I was just looking for
you’ll see more lamb dishes. We’re also going to start playing with pork cheek
something to heighten the flavor, so we just thought, yeah let’s throw some
sandwiches. Holden’s going to try making some naan bread for them.
cumin in and taste it. It worked great. HOLDEN: Our goal is eventually to be doing a levain program out of here, TELL US ABOUT THE BEST PIECE OF BREAD YOU EVER ATE.
every day, just five or six loaves for servicing the restaurant, but maybe even
HOLDEN: It was from either Acme or Tartine in San Francisco. I love Acme, it
for sale. That’s one of our bigger aspirations, to have a little section at the bar
was what they served in the restaurant I first worked in up there. Specifically
with bread baskets.
the levain, I love levain bread. I grew up on Pioneer sourdough bread, I would put French’s yellow mustard on it, untoasted. That was my favorite thing.
ONE LAST THING. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE CHICKEN FRIED BACON. KIND OF A BALLSY MOVE.
WHITNEY: It’s kind of what Holden’s petite baguettes are based on. Tom Cat
WHITNEY: I am not the creator of chicken fried bacon. About six years ago, I
in New York makes this little mini baguette, it is so silky and smooth that you
came across a story about this guy in Texas who was making it, and I thought
don’t need to chew it, it just disintegrates in your mouth. The first time I had
it sounded really cool. I read about how he was making it, but my approach
it at Mercer Kitchen in New York, it was just one little piece laid on top of this
is to make our own bacon; we cure it, smoke it, and then I’ll slice it up pretty
calamari dish that had been toasted briefly on a really hot grill. I was like oh
thick, bread it in flour and buttermilk with a little bit of cayenne pepper
my god, this is the best thing I’ve ever had.
and fry it up. I serve it like a BLT, in a little baby lettuce cup with tomato chutney, which will change into fresh tomatoes when they’re in season, or
WHAT CAN WE LOOK FORWARD TO AT MUDDY LEEK THIS SPRING?
cherry tomato jam. As for right now there are tomatoes on the market but I
WHITNEY: Holden and I both live in Topanga, so we’ll probably start to meet
won’t touch them. I can’t buy tomatoes in December, January or February.
VISIT LACANVAS.COM FOR AN EXCUSIVE VIDEO INTERVIEW WITH CHEFS WHITNEY FLOOD & HOLDEN BURKONS
BACK TO THE FUTURE
text REBECA ARANGO photo RACHEL MANY
85
AT HOLLYWOOD EATERY LITTLEFORK, FORWARDTHINKING DESIGN MEETS A PLAYFUL APPROACH TO NORTH ATLANTIC CUISINE. The quaint sound of the name “Littlefork” is kind of misleading.
“Seafood” includes aquatic critters served raw (oysters), steamed (snow
The latest spot from restauranteur Dave Reiss (A-frame, Sunny Spot) isn’t
crab, mussels), sandwiched (lobster roll), souped (chowder) and fried (oyster
cozy or charming but cool and modern. Bathed in smoky greys and diffused by
sliders), dressed up in new takes on classic sauces and with the occasional
the disorienting glow from a wall of white beams, Littlefork feels futuristic and
kick from an unexpected spice. The selection of “Applewood Smoked” meats
otherworldly, like an underwater lair where tomorrow’s sophisticated iteration
includes a succulent brisket brightened up with three mustards; and while the
of Aquaman might hang out. And yet you won’t find emulsified squid foam
Pimenton-Roasted Cauliflower demands attention, it’s the inimitably gooey, cheese-
with nitrogen coulis here—the food is nothing of the sort.
drenched Potato Purée that cheats its way to first-place among the “Vegetables.”
For that, the diminutive utensil does offer some explanation. Officially
Because elegant snacking is nothing without a clever cocktail,
known as the cocktail fork, the three-pronged descendant of Poseidon’s trident
Littlefork has plenty. House-made syrups, fresh ingredients and classic spirits
rarely plays among the first-string flatware. But at Littlefork, he is both MVP and
combine into drinks that are old-timers but not curmudgeons. For the casual
mascot, carrying in his spikes some fantasy of back-east evenings spent nibbling
whiskey drinker, there’s the Bald Jack—a sweet and spicy pomegranate
on Clams Casino and sipping Gin and Tonics as the storm looms over the harbor.
punch—but purists should try the Saskatchewan Summer—a stout glass of
Taking culinary cues from the Atlantic Northeast, Chef Jason Travi’s menu of
rye with subtle notes of cardamom, honey, and Fernet. Of course, there’s a
seafood, veggies, and smoked meats speaks nostalgically of New England and
Gin and Tonic, though at Littlefork they spruce up the New England staple with
Montréal. The food is savory, but not decadent, refined, yet totally casual.
a dash of ginger and their own bespoke fizz. One El Perdido (tequila, lime,
There are playful bits, like the must-try Maple Eggs—buttery two-
chartreuse, strawberry chile bitters) and a few Georgetown Swizzles (rum,
bite scoops of sweet-and-salty scramble served in eggshell cups and topped
lime, Demerrara, mint) later, and you’ll find yourself on a Caribbean vacation.
with squares of crispy bacon. You’ll find those among the “Bar Snacks”
But wait—come back. There’s a hearty plate of Duck Leg Confit
alongside mouth-waterers like flaky Maple Onion Rings and Smoked Meats
or Salt Crust-Baked Sea Bass with your name on it. And did we mention
Poutine. Under “Salads & Such” there’s an abundance of leafy greens,
the crispy, soft, deep-fried miracles that are Littlefork’s Apple Cider Donuts,
including the requisite Kale Salad, beefed up with avocado and blood orange.
dunked in warm apple butter and salted caramel sauce? Oops—careful with those.
R E S T U R A N T
1600 WILCOX AVE HOLLYWOOD, CA 90028 LITTLEFORKLA.COM
BREAKING BREAD Move over San Francisco — LA has it’s own team of bakers who are doing brilliant things with flour and water. With the tune of crackling bread still stuck in our heads, we decided to pay them all a visit. Whether you’re in search of a sweet little pick-me-up, an ideal baguette to serve at dinner, or an expertly-crusted pizza, someplace on this list should have just the thing.
SANTA MONICA
o
MILO & OLIVE
This small Santa Monica restaurant is the go-to spot for locals looking for a slice of gourmet pizza and a glass of craft beer, but breakfast and lunch are equally unstoppable with Chef Zoe Nathan’s delicious pastries and freshly baked breads. MUST-TRY: The garlic-knot here is quite unlike what you might find at your typical back-east pizzeria (you know, the kind with framed Sopranos and Yankees posters on the wall). Instead, a giant knot of dough is decadently stuffed with roasted garlic and seasoned with salt and olive oil. 2723 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90403
MID-CITY
o
“Break Bread. Share Wine. Feed the Soul.”
LA MAISON DU PAIN
La Maison Du Pain brings a bit of Francophilic panache to an otherwise whatever block of Pico. You can grab a seat under the orange awning to enjoy breakfast (croque madame with a fried egg on top), lunch (a cheese-steak sandwich on a fresh baguette), or a pastry (apple tarte tatin, yes please). MUST-TRY: WIth a crisp exterior and a gooey center, the buttery layered crescent known in America as the Freedom Twist is executed here with delicate perfection. So put down the rubbery one you got at Starbucks. 5373 W Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90019
ATWATER VILLAGE o PROOF BAKERY Fantastic pastries meet Cognoscenti Coffee (not just intelligent, but knowing) at cozy Atwater bake-shop Proof. Some of the small batch, carefully made goodies are often sold out, but the available alternatives are always a pleasant surprise. MUST-TRY: The elusive Paris-Brest, which looks kind of like a bagel with cream cheese but is actually light choux pastry dough packed with praline cream, is even hard to find at Proof. But hazelnut fans who do manage to get their hands on one will not be disappointed. 3156 Glendale Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90039
ECHO PARK o MASA Just down the street from the Echo, Masa is a genuine neighborhood staple. This always-bustling Italian restaurant and bakery drops plush warm loaves on the table as soon as you order. While the decor is old-school kitsch, Masa isn’t totally stuck in the past: Vegan pizzas with soy cheese come in an ample range of flavors. MUST-TRY: Masa’s deep-dish pizzas are epic basins of melted goodness pulled straight out of the oven. No fast food here; each pie takes forty-five minutes to bake. 1800 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026
DOWNTOWN o BREAD LOUNGE Windows into the bakery add a peep-factor to the café section of this Arts District bread purveyor owned by Suzanne Goin’s former head baker, Raf Zimon. No Wifi here, but if you’re looking to keep it offline and read a book, seating is ample and there’s parking in the back. MUST-TRY: Sandwiches! High-quality ingredients are melted panini-style or just served cold. Either way, the bread is the star of the show, and you can choose whichever expert artisanal creation you’d like to hold things together. 700 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
GET MOR E OF LA’S BEST FOOD SCOOPS AT LACA N VAS.COM
600 S. Main Street Los Angeles, CA 90014 www.artisanhouse.net 600 S. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90014 213.622.6333
213.622.6333
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MOODAEPO II Also known as the the sister business of IOTA, provides you with the ultimate Korean BBQ experience, embracing contemporary K-POP Culture with our love for good food! Vegetarians, don’t fret - We also offer a variety of meat-free options! Already a stir among non-Korean circles, our quality meats and dishes will keep you and your friends coming back for more! After a filling dinner at MDP, make sure to receive a coupon for a COMPLEMENTARY IOTA COFFEE on us and bring it on by for some post-food coma coffee & desserts!
MONTHLY SUNDAY BRUNCH & FASHION TRUNK SHOW Introducing a monthly Sunday Brunch and Trunk Show @ IOTA, presented by Dripped Fashion Soiree. For more information, please visit, www.staydripped.com
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IOTA BREW CAFE - 528 S. Western Ave. LA, CA 90020 × 213.568.3700 × www.iotabrewcafe.com
89
ON THE LASH text REBECA ARANGO
IRISH, INDUSTRIAL, AND ODDLY GLAM, THE LASH SOCIAL CLUB GIVES LA NIGHTLIFE A WHOLE NEW LOOK
In British slang, being “on the lash” means you’ve boozed yourself past tipsy. But that’s only the third reason behind Irish musician Ross O’Carroll ‘s choice of bar name. The idea was originally lifted from Celtic rock band The Pogues’ album Rum, Sodomy and the Lash, which was in turn titled after something Winston Churchill said about the British navy. Lo and behold, The Lash Social Club sits in semi-virgin Downtown territory, on the skid-row adjacent one-way road called Winston. From Main Street, you can spot the white neon letters spelling “Lash” all-lit-up against a graphic mural camouflaging the door. After you pass the bouncer defending the tall iron gate, you’ll proceed down the side of the building and into a space that feels like the basement bomb-shelter of a wealthy Eastern European artist with moody, eccentric tastes. It’s not the most inviting or cozy bar we’ve ever been to, but it might be the most intriguing. Creative Director and Designer Erik Hart, a long-time friend and musical co-conspirator of O’Carroll’s, brought an architect’s conceptual sensibility to the custom space. Jagged edges and angles define the bar’s geography, while the topography is informed by subway tiles, Italian marble, raw concrete, chrome, and Baltic wood. Color is strictly gray-scale but for the light grain of the wood and a cherry-red neon sign above the bar reading “Wish You Were Here” in Russian. Charcoal-tinted mirrors on either end bounce the letters back and forth to infinity. In the front lounge, you can pull up a triangular stool to the sculptural marble bar, or take your drinks into the slick alcove, where stadium bench seating and light-weight cubes allow for shifting social interactions. Fans of mixology will find a concise cocktail menu focused on simple blends of high-quality spirits, with favorites like the 117—a blackberry’s take on spicy jalapeno and smooth Silver Tequila—and the Kingston Klub—a potent mix of Drambuie, pineapple juice and Fernet Branca for the adventurous palate. Serious drinkers will be pleased to find things like 12-year Macallan Scotch on the Lash’s selective shelf. And the beer taps are stocked with O’Carroll’s favorites from around the world, including the super rare 12% Belgian brew St. Bernardus, and of course Murphy’s Irish Stout. Through what seems like a tiny Parisian subway tunnel, you’ll find the dramatic all-black bathrooms, and at the end, a much larger lounge space with a sprawling bar, DJ booth, and a cavernous concrete nook for secret late-night meetings or scandalous early-morning makeouts. On weekend nights, Hart and O’Carroll plan to bring in their favorite DJs to mix the music, promising tunes that complement the space in a range of genres—post-punk, no-wave, minimal techno, soul, classical, house, and hip-hop. But even on a regular old Monday, the two musicians are committed to keeping the sonic vibe on point. So it’ll sound good, whether you’re on the lash or not.
B A R
117 WINSTON STREET LOS ANGELES, CA 90013 THELASHSOCIAL.COM
Stellabrate
YOU stellarosawines.com
HEY MAMBO
91
CHEF AND MIXOLOGIST NIKKI MARTIN’S ROSEMARY CLOONEY COCKTAIL SOUNDS LIKE SPRINGTIME IN ITALY
There’s not a cocktail or spirit on Aventine’s drink menu for which Nikki Martin doesn’t have a colorful story to tell. As we sit at the sprawling new Italian eatery’s cozy front bar, the Food Network Star runner-up ignites at the mention of nearly every ingredient. Lambrusco: “People don’t know about it here, and I always tell them, it’s the best party wine!” Limoncello: ”Have you ever gotten drunk off of limoncello? Let me tell you...” Basil: “I have a strawberry, gin, and basil drink on the menu, it tastes like lying in a field in Tuscany in the Summer.” And the personal anecdotes always unfold into curious cultural knowledge (ask Nikki about her favorite creation, the Witches’ Brew, and you’ll get a mini history lesson about the 1860s Italian liquer, Strega). So naturally, when it came to naming her rosemary, grapefruit and vodka concoction, Nikki had a playful reference point. “When I think of Italian-American music and culture, I think of my mob hits CD. Rosemary Clooney, George Clooney’s aunt, has the 1954 hit ‘Mambo Italiano’ on it. It’s such a fun jam.” Made with Svedka Clementine Vodka, the Rosemary Clooney opens with a fresh rosemary sprig’s pungent signature scent. Up next is a sweet lick of turbinado sugar, followed by a bitter grapefruit kick and a smooth vodka finish. It’s a subtle trip anyone can ride but by no means a boring one. “I’m a chef, so I like to make cocktails that go well with food. I don’t just want to blow your palate with some crazy wacky cocktail. I pick things that are in season, just like a chef does.” As for this particular concoction, Nikki recommends pairing it with fish dishes. So if you were wondering what to serve with those bacon-wrapped shrimp skewers at your first barbeque this spring, Rosemary’s your girl.
RECIPE 2 OZ SVEDKA CLEMENTINE VODKA 1/2 OZ ROSEMARY SIMPLE SYRUP 2 OZ FRESH GRAPEFRUIT JUICE SPLASH OF SODA SHAKE & STRAIN RIM COUPE GLASS WITH TURBINADO SUGAR AND GARNISH WITH GARDEN-PICKED ROSEMARY
D R I
1607 N CAHUENGA BLVD HOLLYWOOD, CA 90028 AVENTINEHOLLYWOOD.COM
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SCENE & HEARD Here at LAC, we’re committed to the art of revelry (see below). It’s not just about distributing the appropriate swag, finding the next “hot spot,” and selecting the right DJs, but if it were, we’d be the authority. We couldn't fit our entire catalog of celebratory voyeurism here, but if you've been snapped at one of our parties, head to
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MARCH 30 - APRIL 24 Opening Reception Saturday March 30 7-10pm
FABIEN CASTANIER GALLERY 12196 Ventura Blvd. Studio City, CA 91604
www.castaniergallery.com
t.818.748.6014
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18 19
20
CONCERT MOS DEF @ THE BELASCO
28
FOOD EVENT PIG ROAST @ KING’S ROW GASTROPUB
21
CONCERT LIANNE LE HAVAS + JAMIE N COMMONS @ THE EL REY
27
16
PARTY CHECK YO PONYTAIL 2 W/ THE THERMALS @ THE ECHOPLEX
26
15
PARTY 2ND ANNUAL ST. PATTY’S DAY BLOCK PARTY @ ROCK N REILLY’S
25
CONCERT CAVEMAN + PURE BATHING CULTURE @ THE TROUBADOUR
CONCERT WAAVES, FIDLAR, CHEATAHS @ THE ECHO
ART OPENING JASON FREENY @ 101/EXHIBIT
24
COMEDY THE ORIGINAL ROOM HEADLINERS @ THE COMEDY STORE
28
EVENT LA BIG 5K @ DODGER STADIUM
23
CONCERT BODY PARTS + FOXTAIL BRIGADE @ THE SATELLITE
26
20
PARTY TIGER & WOODS + AEROPLANE @ LURE
COMEDY GARFUNKEL & OATS @ LARGO
24
17
22 23
CONCERT HOODIE ALLEN @ THE EL REY
ART OPENING A ROCK AND ROLL RETROSPECTIVE @ PROJECT GALLERY
CONCERT DJANGO DJANGO @ THE FONDA
31
PARTY DUB CLUB @ THE ECHOPLEX
CONCERT BURGERAMA 2013 @ THE OBSERVATORY
30
COMEDY NEIL HAMBURGER @ THE SATELLITE
PARTY THE BLACK & THE WHITE @ THE CENTRAL
29
CONCERT ALL HANDS ON DECK FT. POOLSIDE, YACHT, BAIO @ THE SANTA MONICA PIER
CONCERT HARPER SIMON (RESIDENCY) @ THE SATELLITE
SPORTS EVENT LA DODGERS VS. ANAHEIM ANGELS @ DODGER STADIUM
S 2
F 1
ART OPENING ART SHAY PHOTOGRAPHY @ DRKRM GALLERY
2
CONCERT STARFUCKER + BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD @ THE FONDA
FILM YOUNG DIRECTORS’ NIGHT @ LACMA
9
2
CONCERT SURFER BLOOD @ THE ECHO
1 PARTY STORE LAUNCH PARTY @ JOYRICH
8
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CONCERT TORO Y MOI, SINKANE + DOG BITE @ THE FONDA
C A N V A S
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FOOD FESTIVAL PPLA FOOD FARE @ SANTA MONICA CIVIC AUDITORIUM
5 CONCERT MASERATI @ THE SATELLITE
PARTY CHECK YO PONYTAIL 2 W/ MYKKI BLANCO @ THE ECHOPLEX
7 STYLE EVENT LA FASHION WEEK THROUGH 3/17
14
5 CONCERT HOT AS SUN @ LOS GLOBOS
13
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GALLERY OPENING DEAN STYERS’ “PRESERVATION THROUGH NEGLECT” @ JAMES GRAY GALLERY
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FESTIVAL 5TH ANNUAL FOOD + WINE FESTIVAL @ THE PETERSEN AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUM
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CONCERT FRIGHTENED RABBIT + THE TWILIGHT SAD @ THE FONDA
10
CONCERT AUTRE NE VEUT + MAJICAL CLOUDZ @ THE TROUBADOR
ART OPENING ALEC MONOPOLY @ LAB ART
CONCERT KINDNESS + JOAKIM @ THE EL REY THEATER
CONCERT HARRIET (RESIDENCY) @ THE ECHO
CONCERT DARWIN DEEZ, CAGED ANIMALS + DAN CROLL @ THE ECHO
PARTY DIM MAK SUNDAYS @ DRAI’S
14 PARTY LA CANVAS 2ND ANNUAL CARNIVALE @ THE R&R GALLERY
8 ART OPENING GABRIEL ALCARAZ @ SUEDE GALLERY
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DANCE ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER: REVOLUTIONS @ THE DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILLION
15 EVENT THIRD WEDNESDAYS @ DOWNTOWN CULVER CITY
FILM FESTIVAL GOING GREEN FILM FESTIVAL @ LA LIVE
17 CONCERT TYONDAI BRAXTON, MATT MARKS, SAMUEL ADAMS @ WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
CONCERT CHAIRLIFT + THE ANTLERS @ THE WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
27
MUSIC FESTIVAL ART EVENT MOON BLOCK MIRACLE MILE PARTY @ ART WALK SUNSET RANCH OASIS
20 20
MUSIC FESTIVAL BROKECHELLA @ DTLA
20
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ART OPENING URS FISCHER @ MOCA
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CONCERT WHITE MYSTERY, PETER PANTS @ PEHRSPACE
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STYLE EVENT 2013 FASHION SYMPOSIUM @ CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER
MUSIC FESTIVAL STAGECOACH
ART FESTIVAL PARIS PHOTO LOS ANGELES @ PARAMOUNT PICTURE STUDIOS
ART EVENT LOS ANGELES SLOW ART DAY @ MOCA
27 CONCERT CRYSTAL CASTLES @ HOLLYWOOD PALLADIUM
26 26 ART OPENING THE SPACE IS SCULPTURE @ THE NORTON SIMON MUSEUM
FOR MORE EVENTS, VISIT LACANVAS.COM
CONCERT TELEKINESIS @ THE ECHO
FOOD, DRINK + COMEDY MONDAY NIGHT COMEDY @ BRU HAUS
PARTY LOW END THEORY @ THE AIRLINER
25
FILM TO THE ARCTIC, NARRATED BY MERYL STREEP @ IMAX CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER
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PERFORMANCE ART SUFJAN STEVENS + BRYCE DESSNER OF THE NATIONAL + NICO MUHLY @ THE WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
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CONCERT METZ @ THE TROUBADOUR
STYLE EVENT FABB WEST COAST FASHION AND BEAUTY BLOG CONFERENCE @ THE ANNENBERG COMMUNITY BEACH HOUSE
1
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CONCERT RHYE @ HOLLYWOOD FOREVER CEMETERY
1
ART FESTIVAL PACIFIC STANDARD TIME PRESENTS MODERN ARCHITECTURE IN LA, THROUGH 7/31 @ VARIOUS MUSEUMS
8
PARTY THAO AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN @ TROUBADOR
2
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CONCERT WIDOWSPEAK @ THE ECHO
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CONCERT MOLLY RINGWALD @ ROCKWELL TABLE AND STAGE
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FOOD EVENT MURDER MYSTERY DINNER @ THE CULVER CLUB
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CONCERT SKY FERREIRA + HOW TO DRESS WELL @ THE BOOTLEG
C A N V A S
APRIL TH 4
PARTY CAFÉ BURLESQUE @ THE SILVERLAKE LOUNGE
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ART OPENING LISA ADAMS + STEVE ROGERS @ CB1 GALLERY
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DRINK EVENT 5TH ANNUAL LA BEER FESTIVAL @ PARAMOUNT STUDIOS
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EVENT ABBOT KINNEY FIRST FRIDAYS @ VENICE
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ART OPENING STEPHEN PRINA: AS HE REMEMBERED IT @ LACMA
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ART OPENING PARTY GREG “CRAOLA” SHLOHMO SIMPKINS @ THE FONDA @ MERRY KARNOWSKY GALLERY
14
6 COMEDY DEMETRI MARTIN @ LARGO
13 12
FESTIVAL COACHELLA WEEKEND ONE
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ART EVENT ST. ELMO VILLAGE @ MID-CITY
PARTY DESERT GOLD CELEBRATION @ THE ACE HOTEL & SWIM CLUB
WORKSHOP WINE CAMP @ EAT DRINK AMERICANO
PLAY WEST SIDE STORY @ THE PANTAGES
11 ART EVENT ART WALK @ DOWNTOWN LA
EXHIBIT EXTENDED! OPEN THROUGH MAY 27, 2013
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108
A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST
INSIDE THE WORK OF COVER PHOTOGRAPHER BRANTLEY GUTIERREZ text ROSS GARDINER One can plunge far into the carefully hidden depths of a person’s character by simply turning a camera at them. Some are completely unfazed by it, flirting, meowing, letting the lens applaud over their image. But others become edgy and awkward, shuffling around under the magnifying glass. And then there’s the rest, desperate to appear unfazed, shrouding their insecurities with outstretched tongues and garish expressions. The photographer and his camera interrogate everyone they see. Brantley Gutierrez’s portfolio is a hugely personal collection of photographs. The warm chemical-bathed faces of familiar rock stars and actors just keep relentlessly coming, gathering this peculiar swaggering momentum, so much so that once-Beatle, now-Knight Sir Paul McCartney’s image is about ten photographs into the reel, just casually tucked in there as an “oh yeah, and…”. We see Eric Clapton, the snow leopard of rock ‘n’ roll, belly-laughing in his home. Paul Rudd sitting backstage sipping from a pink phallus-shaped water bottle. A quim of Arcade Fire members (“quim” is the collective noun for a collection of Arcade Fire members) just having a frolic on a knoll somewhere. You see light streams of diversity across his body of work, from sharpened editorial photography that utilizes substantial budgets, settings, rigs and crews, to soft, casual, almost homely photographs that do more to counteract the notion of “celebrity” than almost any other outlet. From the palms of a generation strangled by its obsession with the lives of the lauded, it’s as fresh as frost to see someone that instills a silent humanity back into people we pushed onto pedestals high above us. “But it’s all about collaborating” he says, teasing his steam-punk inventor’s soul patch, “I really get my buzz on when I’m creating with other people. In portrait photography you’re constantly collaborating. On a movie set you have hundreds of people collaborating. Even right now. Trying to get something useful out of me!” Brantley Gutierrez has taken photographs since he was a child. Raised somewhere between the rolling Virginia countryside and the static D.C. concrete, he grew up fascinated by the camera’s ability to extract hidden emotions from people. After a frustrating stint mainly photographing snow in Aspen, he made his way to Seattle, and eventually to Los Angeles. His transition into rock photography was impeccably timed. His first couple of high-profile gigs with the Foo Fighters came moments before the digital explosion and the industry’s implosion. He was there, establishing himself as a fantastic photographer before detachable lenses became fashion accessories and every business felt that the privilege of experience was plenty payment enough. But while he is still an ardent film user and a spontaneous-shot fetishist, it’s not difficult to see that despite his wealth of talent his most vital asset could well be his personality. “People have to feel comfortable around me, because if they don’t then they’re not going to be themselves,” he says, smiling as I note his smiles, “I L
liken it to a doctor’s bedside manner.”
A
And where war photographers are defined by their bravery, rock
S
photographers are defined by their ability to “be cool” and chill in the background.
T
At least, if Brantley’s photographs are anything to go by, that is how you catch and
L
bottle moments of passive humanity in those we treat as gods.
O O K
VISIT LACANVAS.COM FOR BEHIND-THE-SCENES PHOTOS FROM BRANTLEY’S COVER SHOOT WITH CHASE N. CASHE BRANTLEYGUTIERREZ.TUMBLR.COM
ALB U M AVAI LAB LE EVE RYWH E R E FOR TOUR DATES VISIT
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